Rethink Robotics has reached an agreement with a company in China to manufacture its products in the world’s most populous nation and fastest-growing market for industrial robots.
This is according to a report by the official state news agency, Xinhua.
The Chinese company is called Cothink Robotics and is based in Hunan, a province located nearer to the middle of the country.
Under the terms of the deal, Cothink will set up a factory in collaboration the local government and Rethink. All three parties seem to have a stake in the joint enterprise.
Rethink has become known for its Baxter and Sawyer collaborative robots, and the company’s CEO says he predicts success in China, says Xinhua.
China has been going hell-for-leather to try and catch up in the race towards greater use of robotics and automation processes. Many factories are now buying robots, with some factories – such as the Everwin facility – even almost entirely robot-controlled.
One of the alleged reasons for the move towards robotics and automation is because China’s “labor pool is shrinking”. The country’s working-age population has been falling every year for the past four years.
