2016. US Industry - 135,000 new robots bring jobs back home

The new economy is based on industrial robots - it kicked off in the US around 2010, and it's moving fast. As reported in 2016, "The main driver of this growth is the ongoing trend to automate production in order to strengthen the competitiveness of American industry globally, to keep manufacturing at home, and, in some cases, to bring back manufacturing that had previously been outsourced to other countries."

2016. US Industry - 135,000 new robots bring jobs back home

Frankfurt, 23 November 2016 - In the last six years, (2010-2015), the US industry has installed around 135,000 new industrial robots. The principal driver in this race to automate is the car industry. During this same period, (2010-2015), the number of employees in the automotive sector increased by 230,000. Today, the robot density in the automotive sector of the United States rank second worldwide to that of Japan. The industrial renaissance in North America continues unabated; provided the global economy remains stable, it is estimated that robot shipments to Canada, Mexico and the US will grow at an average annual rate of 5% to 10%. These are the conclusions of the World Robotics Report 2016 published by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

The industrial sector in the US continues to invest strongly in robotics and automation. …The main driver of this growth is the ongoing trend to automate production in order to strengthen the competitiveness of American industry globally, to keep manufacturing at home, and, in some cases, to bring back manufacturing that had previously been outsourced to other countries.

Beyond automotive manufacturing, "The electronics industry continues to be the fastest-growing emerging industry for industrial robots in the United States" - robot sales in electronics grew 41% from 2014-2015.

…Car manufacturers and component suppliers will continue to be heavy users of robots. In addition, more and more new companies specialized in electric or autonomous vehicles are starting up in the United States and are in need of modern and efficient production facilities. This said, after six years of continuously growing industrial robot sales to the US automotive industry, a moderate decrease in the overall sales growth is anticipated for 2016 - 2017; the retooling necessary for new car models will then drive an increase in demand for industrial robots starting in 2018 - 2019.

The electronics industry continues to be the fastest-growing emerging industry for industrial robots in the United States (2014-2015 = +41%). Increasing numbers of orders can also be expected from the metals and machinery industry, the rubber and plastics industry, the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry, and the food and beverage industry. Changing customer demands necessitate the modernization and expansion of capacities which, combined with local industry's need for automation to strengthen its competitiveness, will lead to further increase in demand for industrial robots.

The take home message: Wanna stay competitive in the global marketplace? Automate!

Even China is automating - fast. So fast that many worry about what will happen to all the displaced workers. But that's a subject for another thread.

Meanwhile in the USA, automation is proceeding about as fast as production is returning to the nation. There are some job gains at the front end of course - like the 230,000 new automotive jobs created between 2010 and 2015. But don't expect ongoing increases. Once the factories retool for the 2018 production lines, it'll be close to game-over.

This is a very important subject. Automation is taking away our jobs. The cost of the automation is not justifiable, how can we buy this stuff the companies make if we do not have jobs. I know, just give people more and more credit, so everyone is way over their heads in debt. That has worked so far, they feel they are rich because they have their pensions in the stock market which is far from real. All the money in the stock market can disappear in no time, the real value of the companies is not represented by the value of the stock. It is a big ponzi scheme. Sure it has been working, people want to believe they have money when in fact most companies have less than a penny of asset value per a dollar of stock value.

I used to like doing physical work in a Factory, you go home and sleep well, you do not have much stress. You made decent money, had insurance and holiday pay, you did not need to buy a health club membership to get your exercise. Our society has gotten delusional. What is wrong with working in a factory to make things our society needs to survive?

Technology will eventually destroy our society, all the money will go to the top few and we will all just be doing mediocre work, working as sub contractors for these companies and the people who are at the top. I don't know about others, but I liked to work and see what I created when I was done. It used to be that you had pride in the stuff you made.

Wait till these companies start using 3D printers to print everything, nobody will have a job. The masses in the cities will be hit worst, there will be crime everywhere, people who need money to live will be stealing from others.

Well, someone has to repair / install / programm those robots, right?

a reply to: rickymouse

Agreed, at some point the USA, and more than likely the whole world will just be a giant industrial complex, Survival of the fittest.

a reply to: soficrow

and, in some cases, to bring back manufacturing that had previously been outsourced to other countries.

Emblazoned in the thread title , becoming an after thought in the sourced article.

Wake me when the 'jobs' return.

originally posted by: ManFromEurope
Well, someone has to repair / install / programm those robots, right?

Not if there's a maintenance robot.

Maybe someone has to maintain the maintenance robot?

His job will go to the maintenance robot that maintains the other maintenance robots.

It's a vicious cycle.

I just hope when the robots put us all in the matrix we can create our own virtual worlds to live in. That way you never have to worry. Unless the system crashes or your life support glitches out, then you're stuffed I guess.

a reply to: Ohanka

I just hope when the robots put us all in the matrix we can create our own virtual worlds to live in. That way you never have to worry.

I think the point of The Matrix and Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" is that our minds are already trapped in their 'constructs'.

We believe in the system, we support it and it nourishes us.

They talk consumer demand.

There literally won't be any consumer demand when nobody has a job. Maybe they should think about that one?

The whole thing will collapse like a house of cards. The people have no money to buy the finished products, because nobody has a job, first the stores will close, then the warehouses associated with them, then the assembly plants, then the factories that make all the components, and so on until the mines for the raw materials themselves close down.

Not to mention all the shipping, packaging and processing along the way.

Madness.

With a few tweaks to our social, economic, and political systems,.... full-automation of labor could usher in luxurious utopia for all.

But sadly, our current paradigm is geared toward centralized wealth and influence

originally posted by: slapjacks
a reply to: rickymouse

Agreed, at some point the USA, and more than likely the whole world will just be a giant industrial complex, Survival of the fittest.

Robots can also build robots. No need for us people anymore. The less people the less the elite need to worry about revolting and taking their empires. That can be easily be accomplished if you consider food chemistry, within a generation the population can be reduced to a hundredth of what it is.

Big danger here is we continue to let China, Japan etc. lead in the production of robots. Who's to say they won't eventually have encoded messages to turn them against us?

Yeah, I know, too active imagination and too many Hollywood movies. But, what if?

originally posted by: ManFromEurope
Well, someone has to repair / install / programm those robots, right?

That's the official line, but...

May 29, 2014 - A robot completed repairs on another robot in space this week, advancing the possibility of future robots working in deep space, as well as Earth-based robots working in the enterprise.

…"One of the key points of usefulness of robotics is the ability to accomplish tasks in areas that are hostile to human beings, whether it's deep in the sea, in a mine or a nuclear power plant," he said. "We send robots where we don't want to send humans. The ability to use robotics to accomplish tasks in hazardous areas is very important and we furthered that."

Self-Repair Techniques Point to Robots That Design Themselves

"In the future, physical self-repair could become critical in applications where no humans are around to assist or repair the robots; for example, in space or underwater applications."

A Robot May Soon Fix Your Car

Jul 10, 2016
When faced with a tricky automotive repair, Jamie Ludolph used to turn to a tome-like service manual. Today at the Atlanta car dealership where Ludolph is a master guild technician, he can turn to a robot.

The Audi Robotic Telepresence, or ART, is a remote-controlled robot on wheels. Outfitted with cameras and a screen, it lets mechanics at Audi of America dealerships talk to experts at the company’s technical center in Auburn Hills, Mich.

…the robot is the latest example of how dealership repair shops have transformed from grease pits into high-tech service centers loaded with computers.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: soficrow

and, in some cases, to bring back manufacturing that had previously been outsourced to other countries.

Emblazoned in the thread title , becoming an after thought in the sourced article.

Wake me when the 'jobs' return.

Guess you missed the OP's last couple of sentences.

..." There are some job gains at the front end of course - like the 230,000 new automotive jobs created between 2010 and 2015. But don't expect ongoing increases. Once the factories retool for the 2018 production lines, it'll be close to game-over."

originally posted by: Sahabi
With a few tweaks to our social, economic, and political systems,.... full-automation of labor could usher in luxurious utopia for all.

But sadly, our current paradigm is geared toward centralized wealth and influence

Worth re-posting.

originally posted by: Ohanka
There literally won't be any consumer demand when nobody has a job. Maybe they should think about that one?

The idea that consumer demand is a result of jobs is a bit off.

Consumer demand is product of human needs, both primary and frivolous crap.

That isn't going to go away. What needs to change is how/why people receive the fiat currency to make exchange possible.

The easiest form for TPTB would be a BUI. Give consumers enough to keep the ponzi scheme going.

originally posted by: soficrow

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: soficrow

and, in some cases, to bring back manufacturing that had previously been outsourced to other countries.

Emblazoned in the thread title , becoming an after thought in the sourced article.

Wake me when the 'jobs' return.

Guess you missed the OP's last couple of sentences.

..." There are some job gains at the front end of course - like the 230,000 new automotive jobs created between 2010 and 2015. But don't expect ongoing increases. Once the factories retool for the 2018 production lines, it'll be close to game-over."

Way back machine image of factory workers. Its long been 'game over' from the days of Unions, careers, pensions, stock, savings and equity.

Image

originally posted by: intrptr

originally posted by: soficrow

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: soficrow

and, in some cases, to bring back manufacturing that had previously been outsourced to other countries.

Emblazoned in the thread title , becoming an after thought in the sourced article.

Wake me when the 'jobs' return.

Guess you missed the OP's last couple of sentences.

..." There are some job gains at the front end of course - like the 230,000 new automotive jobs created between 2010 and 2015. But don't expect ongoing increases. Once the factories retool for the 2018 production lines, it'll be close to game-over."

Way back machine image of factory workers. Its long been 'game over' from the days of Unions, careers, pensions, stock, savings and equity.

Image

Uh huh. So would you say the writing's been on the wall for a while now? The strategy is obvious and in the home stretch?

originally posted by: soficrow

originally posted by: intrptr

originally posted by: soficrow

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: soficrow

and, in some cases, to bring back manufacturing that had previously been outsourced to other countries.

Emblazoned in the thread title , becoming an after thought in the sourced article.

Wake me when the 'jobs' return.

Guess you missed the OP's last couple of sentences.

..." There are some job gains at the front end of course - like the 230,000 new automotive jobs created between 2010 and 2015. But don't expect ongoing increases. Once the factories retool for the 2018 production lines, it'll be close to game-over."

Way back machine image of factory workers. Its long been 'game over' from the days of Unions, careers, pensions, stock, savings and equity.

Image

Uh huh. So would you say the writing's been on the wall for a while now? The strategy is obvious and in the home stretch?

Yes, we are in the transition phase. Kind of like Elysium without the orbiting redoubt. The toxins to keep our populations down are sown into the environment.

Everywhere the wealthy elite go they are removed from contact wth the "proles". They ride in business jets, jet helos, and armored limos. Their homes are fortresses with iron gates, guards and dogs, their businesses atop high sky scrapers in the middle of cities protected by militarized police.

Their food, air, and water is specially grown, filtered and prepared for them , not like the s*** we eat from the grocer.

All thats left is to remove cash entirely (almost there), illegalize all private business and gardening (almost there), and complete the privatization of all gubment institutions (pretty much almost there).

Money Speech from Mr. Jenson in film, Network comes to mind.

The fact that many will no longer be able to participate in the economy will be offset by selling the goods produced overseas and elsewhere while the people of the country who lost employment are pretty much left to die.

A fundamental change has to occur.

You people better get to thinking.

A storm is a comin'...

I don't care any more.