Food industry robots set to grow by 3% by 2016

The UK market for robots will grow by 3.4% by 2016 as a result of increased investment in automation…

The UK market for robots will grow by 3.4% by 2016 as a result of increased investment in automation by food and drink manufacturers, according to market analyst IMS Research.

Advances in machine vision, sensing and gripping will lead to more manufacturers adopting robots in a bid to provide faster production lines, ensure products are ‘right first time’ and increase throughput, the analyst claimed.

Kiran Patel, an analyst with IMS Research, said: “The market [for robots overall in the UK] is currently valued at £61M. Over the next four years we predict the value will increase as less work will be carried out manually.”