Omron invests in collaborative robot company Techman Robot

Industrial giant Omron has reached an agreement for a capital investment in Techman Robot, believed to be the world’s second-largest collaborative robot brand.

Omron will hold a stake of approximately 10 percent in Techman. The investment is expected to be completed by December 2021.

In 2018, Omron entered into a strategic alliance with Techman to meet the increasing automation needs generated by labour shortages.

Since then, Techman’s TM Series collaborative robots have been sold as a co-branded product globally through Omron’s distribution network.

Omron and Techman have also jointly developed the Mobile Manipulator, a mobile work robot that combines Omron’s mobile robot and the TM series, to enable manufacturing sites where humans and machines collaborate.

Through this investment in Techman, Omron aims to jointly develop innovative robot solutions that combine Omron factory automation equipment with Techman’s collaborative robots, ensuring both safety and productivity and offering a solution to the issue of labour shortages at manufacturing sites.

Junta Tsujinaga, president of Omron’s industrial automation business, says: “The environment surrounding the manufacturing industry is changing significantly.

“Anticipating these changes, since 2016 Omron has pursued advanced manufacturing with the unique value-generation concept ‘i-Automation’ to resolve issues that manufacturing sites face.

“We have focused on robot technology and market development since Omron acquired industrial robot maker Adept Technology in 2015.”

Dr. Shi-Chi Ho, chairman of Techman Robot, says: “Techman Robot has successfully become the world’s second-largest collaborative robot company since 2018.

“We aim create smart factory solutions for human-machine collaboration, and we are delighted to deepen our longstanding relationship with Omron through this collaboration.

“This is a significant opportunity for both companies, addressing the fast-growing gap in the market for the demanding need for smart manufacturing.”

By strengthening its robotics business, Omron aims to enable the creation of manufacturing sites that accelerate the realization of its i-Automation concept, benefitting customers and “enriching people’s lives around the world”.