president

General Motors names Kuka as ‘Supplier of the Year’

May 30, 2019 by Abdul Montaqim

Auto giant General Motors named industrial robotics and automation company Kuka its “Supplier of the Year” during its 27th annual Supplier of the Year awards ceremony held recently in Detroit.

This is the fourth time Kuka has received the award. In an interview with Robotics and Automation News, Joe Gemma, a senior executive at Kuka, provided some insights into the company. (See video below.)

During the event, GM recognized 133 of its best suppliers from 15 countries that have consistently exceeded GM’s expectations, created outstanding value or introduced innovations to the company. [Read more…] about General Motors names Kuka as ‘Supplier of the Year’

Foxconn boss reiterates commitment to build factory in Wisconsin

May 3, 2019 by Mai Tao

Foxconn boss Terry Gou has reiterated his commitment to building a multi-million-dollar factory in Mount Pleasant, in the US state of Wisconsin.

The chairman of Foxconn, which is better known as Hon Hai Precision in its native Taiwan, met with US President Donald Trump at the White House earlier this week.

After the meeting, media reports suggested that Foxconn will make additional investments in the Wisconsin facility.

Foxconn boss Terry Gou considers automating the entire population of Taiwan

April 16, 2019 by Mai Tao

Foxconn boss Terry Gou has confirmed that he is considering running for president in Taiwan’s general election next year, according to the South China Morning Post.

“I will decide in the next two days whether to run for president,” Gou told reporters at a seminar in Taipei earlier today. “I hardly slept last night thinking of the future of Taiwan and its security issues.”

He added that the 2020 presidential election will be “extremely critical in determining Taiwan’s future in the next 20 years in the political, defense and economic sectors”. [Read more…] about Foxconn boss Terry Gou considers automating the entire population of Taiwan

Veo Robotics could make all industrial robots collaborative

April 15, 2019 by Sam Francis

Traditional industrial robots tend to be very large and potentially dangerous, which is why they tend to be caged off and kept separate from human workers.

But a new company called Veo Robotics says it has the technology to transform traditional industrial robotic arms into safe machines that humans can work alongside, within close proximity.

Veo’s solution could make every industrial robot a collaborative robot. The term “collaborative” is recognized by international standards organizations and usually applies to much smaller, newer types of robots which are specifically designed to safe for humans to work with. [Read more…] about Veo Robotics could make all industrial robots collaborative

US manufacturing sector is seeing ‘record investment’, says Pence

June 30, 2017 by Sam Francis

The manufacturing sector is experiencing a dramatic turnaround in business, according to figures released by the White House.

President Donald Trump has consistently said he wants the manufacturing sector to grow and has personally intervened to persuade many large manufacturing companies to consider relocating or expanding their operations in the US.

However, the vast majority of manufacturing companies in the US are small businesses, of less than 100 people. [Read more…] about US manufacturing sector is seeing ‘record investment’, says Pence

Trump considering taking US out of global environmental agreement

May 31, 2017 by David Edwards

By Valerie Volcovici and Jeff Mason, Reuters

President Donald Trump plans to make good on his campaign vow to withdraw the United States from a global pact to fight climate change, a source briefed on the decision said on Wednesday, a move that promises to deepen a rift with US allies.

White House officials cautioned that details were still being hammered out and that, although close, the decision on withdrawing from the 195-nation accord – agreed to in Paris in 2015 – was not finalized.

Trump, who has previously called global warming a hoax, did not confirm the decision in a post on Twitter, saying only, “I will be announcing my decision on the Paris Accord over the next few days.” [Read more…] about Trump considering taking US out of global environmental agreement

US President Donald Trump pressures automakers to increase production in the US

January 26, 2017 by Sam Francis

By David Shepardson and Roberta Rampton, Reuters

US President Donald Trump pushed the chief executives of General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler to increase production in the United States and boost American employment.

Trump opened a meeting with GM CEO Mary Barra, Ford CEO Mark Fields and Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne at the White House by saying he wants to see new auto plants built in the United States.

The new Republican president vowed to cut regulations and taxes to make it more attractive for businesses to operate in the United States. He promised frequently during his election campaign to be a job-creating president and stressed that message in his inaugural speech last Friday. [Read more…] about US President Donald Trump pressures automakers to increase production in the US

US President Donald Trump orders reduction of manufacturing and construction bureaucracy

January 25, 2017 by Mark Allinson

Newly inaugurated US President Donald Trump has signed an order aimed at reducing the amount of bureaucracy involved in getting permissions and licences in the manufacturing and construction sectors.

Trump got elected partly on a platform to rejuvenate manufacturing and industry – or his “make it in America” mantra – and these first few days have seen some big changes proposed.

The order he signed is designed to streamline the administrative process, which Trump said was “incredibly cumbersome, long, horrible”. [Read more…] about US President Donald Trump orders reduction of manufacturing and construction bureaucracy

Obama warns of divisiveness of automation technology

January 18, 2017 by Mark Allinson

In his farewell address to the nation, US President Barack Obama warned of the dangers of automation technology.

Obama said: “The next wave of economic dislocations won’t come from overseas. It will come from the relentless pace of automation that makes a lot of good, middle-class jobs obsolete.”

The Obama administration has been looking the whole issue of robotics, automation and artificial intelligence, and consulting on the possible impact of those technologies on the US economy. [Read more…] about Obama warns of divisiveness of automation technology

President Barack Obama appoints GM CEO Mary Barra to advisory panel on self-driving cars

January 13, 2017 by David Edwards

General Motors CEO Mary Barra. — General Motors CEO Mary Barra

US President Barack Obama has appointed General Motors chief executive Mary Barra to a newly created advisory committee on self-driving cars, and critics are already saying she should be the first person to whom the incoming president, Donald Trump, should say: “You’re fired.”

Consumer advocates called on President-elect Donald Trump to make Barra his first firing and remove her as co-chairman of the newly created Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation.

In a letter to Trump, Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, John Simpson, the group’s privacy project director, and Joan Claybrook, chair of Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways, wrote: “As you know, robot cars, trucks, drones and other technology threaten to replace tens of millions of American jobs, pose a danger to the safety of our roads and public spaces, and come with significant privacy and security threats.

“We should not allow the robot makers alone to oversee the safety of vehicles coming out of robot factories, but the Obama Administration’s eleventh hour appointments do just that.” [Read more…] about President Barack Obama appoints GM CEO Mary Barra to advisory panel on self-driving cars