Universal Robots to significantly expand production capacity

Universal Robots, the Danish manufacturer of industrial robots, has celebrated the opening of its new company headquarters in Odense, Denmark.

Moving into new facilities will extend production capacity as the company aims for turnover of one billion Danish kroner by 2017 ($185 million), a tenfold increase compared to the company’s 2013 revenue.

Ever since the first UR robot hit the market in December 2008, the production has doubled annually, reaching the limits of the company’s old production facilities. Totaling 12,000 square meters, the new headquarters will be seven times bigger than the former headquarters.

“Our new premises allow us to increase daily production to more than 150 robots,” said Enrico Krog Iversen, CEO of Universal Robots. “This expansion of production capacity is urgently needed, as we plan to sell 2,000 robots in 2014. Furthermore, we plan to keep doubling our sales every year from 2014 to 2017.”

The company’s lightweight robots began in 2008 as a university research project starting out with five employees, a number which has now grown to a staff of more than 110. Aside from production facilities and sales offices, the new facility also includes the Universal Robots Advanced Training Center.

“Denmark is and always will be our robot-stronghold. With the planned increase in production, we will be able to create approximately 200 new jobs at Universal Robots,” Iversen said. “This will lead to further growth at the suppliers and dealers we collaborate with, so that our expansion might lead to indirectly creating another 300 new jobs in the Odense region.”