Industrial Automation Magazine India

Mobile robots are shaping the emerging logistics industry

Published on : Tuesday 05-04-2022

Dr Paul Rivers, CEO, Guidance Automation, UK.

We have been hearing about robots in the Indian Industry. What is the extent of penetration today? Which industry segments are the major users?
Initially, the penetration of robots in India had not advanced because of higher costs and the abundance of labour. But as technology advances, the use of robots in the industrial sector has grown multifold in the past few years. Traditionally, robots were mostly used in the automotive segment only, but today, they are widely being used across pharma, warehouse, F&B, hospitals, supply chains and many more industries.

India is a major automotive exporter and the future looks promising. That being said, the country has to continue advancing in technology, and with the use of robots, it would help businesses to have error-free operations, while reducing costs and increasing output

What lessons are learnt out of the pandemic situation for deployment of robots? What case-study/examples of industries weathering the storm because of having deployed robots? Do you foresee a rush to deploy robots post-Covid?
During the pandemic, we saw a lot of interest from companies wanting to implement robots in their businesses. Articulated robots are the largest types of robot used in India. In the pandemic, because of the scarcity of labour, automated guided vehicle robots were in demand to meet end-to-end intra logistics requirements. 

New start-ups in India provided these solutions to hospitals for the transportation of food and medicines to Covid-19 patients, and this was widely acknowledged, giving some relief to medical staff. 

Autonomous disinfecting robots were also used in places of concern during the peak of the pandemic. There was widespread awareness to the public to see how robots can be useful to society during this time, rather than common myths around using robots to replace human labour. We predict that companies will implement robots in these types of applications in the future.

Do recent policy initiatives like PLI scheme for electronics industry, Semiconductor manufacturing, large 2-wheeler EV plants, etc., augur well for robotic automation?
The PLI scheme will certainly help India to become a manufacturing hub. With the custom tariffs coming down and certain taxation relief, manufacturing companies will divert and invest more money in automation and robotics – which will help their end goal of having low-cost products made and exported to the rest of the world. 

With the immense support of the Government of India, the manufacturing industry in India will only see an upward growth trajectory. To be globally competitive, India needs to step up its manufacturing industry. India is seen as the preferred investment destination and as global MNCs come to India and start their manufacturing plants, we will certainly see a lot of robotics and automation solutions being used for various applications with advanced innovative systems. Also, small and medium sized companies will evolve as ancillaries to the big MNCs. These ancillaries will use cutting edge robotic technology to support their clients and create an efficient supply chain for them. The PLI scheme has all the ingredients to help grow India’s manufacturing sector, boost exports and create numerous jobs.  

Are the capabilities of system integrators to design and deploy robots strong enough? What initiatives from industry bodies and government are needed?
System integrators do play a pivotal role in providing robotic solutions which are beneficial to the end customer. They have to provide robots at a lower cost, but also fulfil the commitment of giving a better performance output. 

To get in the market faster and having a technological advantage, system integrators should partner with foreign companies. With their expertise, India can grow its technical skills in a speedy way. Keeping the ‘Make in India’ initiative in mind, the government should try and support the collaboration between the Indian players and the foreign companies who provide technical assistance in the field of robotics. There can be reduced government custom duties for certain parts which are used in robots, which ultimately will help in cost reduction for the end client. 

Certain industry bodies like AICRA (All India Council for Robotics and Automation) should invest in new startups who are trying to solve daily industry problems through robotics. They should also have more R&D collaboration with foreign institutes. An ecosystem should be created where people are educated and trained to make robotic products or to serve the robotics industry to continuously solve problems in the manufacturing world.

Globally, use of robotics in non-traditional sectors – food & beverages, hospitals & hospitality, sewage & waste segregation – is rising. What is the Indian scenario?
I think India has taken a step forward to explore robotic applications in non-traditional sectors. During Covid-19, as mentioned, robots were deployed in hospitals. Businesses were beginning to overlook the costs, and instead see the bigger problems that this technology can solve and how it can help the society. In the hospitality sector, I feel we still have a long way to go for the robots to play an important role, and are instead more of an entertainment service. The challenge is that the robots have to be much more cost effective, hence why we don’t see many of them at homes and hotels. But in the next 10-15 years, we will see a substantial rise in the use of robots, where people do not want to work in an unsafe environment, for example. 

Is the Logistics & Warehousing industry spurring the demand for robots in this segment? Are there Indian players who are focussing on this segment?
Mobile robots are shaping the emerging logistics industry. The mobile robot industry has grown rapidly in recent years, spurred on by autonomous navigation technologies and Artificial Intelligence. 

In logistics, material transporting using automated guided vehicles (AGV) is already a mature industry and attracting a lot of money, whereas fully autonomous drone delivery is still an emerging market, and will take quite a few years to be a large scale industry. 

In India, a lot of companies are investing in R&D of autonomous navigation technologies and the use of it in indoor and outdoor applications is being tested. The warehouse automation is focused on handling goods efficiently by assisting or replacing human labour for this job. Currently, the global warehouse robotics market is valued at around $9 billion and is expected to more than double in the next five to six years. 

E-commerce has changed the way business is done in India. The rising number of warehouses across the country and increased investments in warehouse automation, along with labour availability issues and growing technological solutions, are a driving force for the use of mobile robots in warehouses. The Indian players entering the warehouse and logistics automation sector are substantially growing compared to the past few years. Many of them are also exporting their mobile robotic solutions to global companies. We have worked with quite a few companies in India, and with our technological solutions, we have helped them achieve their goals. We see India as the most upcoming and promising country to grow in the field of robotics and automation in the next few years.

Dr Paul Rivers is the Managing Director at Guidance Automation Ltd. He followed his Engineering degree in Optoelectronics and Laser Systems with a PhD involving extremely high power laser ablation.

Recognised as an international authority in the field of navigation and control of autonomous vehicles and robotic applications with 20 years of sales, operational and technical experience. This includes acquisitions and mergers both in the UK and the US. The combination of international sales management, proven skills in project management, an extensive technical experience portfolio, is complemented by an entrepreneurial flair for generating new product ideas. These attributes underpin a track record of successes across a diverse range of businesses and market sectors. As a professionally qualified executive director, an approach of open communication and positivity has been vital in creating and delivering innovative strategies.