PARA Presented Their Third Annual Study on the Role of Automation in Bulgaria

 

The Professional Association of Robotics and Automation (PARA) presented its latest report on the role of automation in Bulgaria during the “Robotics Strategy Forum 2020”, which took place on October 22. The PARA team prepares the report for a third consecutive year by conducting a survey among Bulgarian companies.

This year, the report also includes an analysis of the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis and how it has affected the industry’s plans to invest in automation. The results are based on the answers of 32 companies with nearly 15,000 employees from sectors in the fields of automotive components, furniture, electronics, mechanical engineering, and others. The Association emphasizes that the survey does not claim to be exhaustive. 

 

Some of the highlights from the report:

  • 50% of the companies experience a delay or complete postponement of automation investments due to the pandemic. Half of these companies are in the automotive sector.
  • Still, the pandemic has accelerated the processes in 19% of the companies. Among them are representatives of the chemical industry, smart home sensors companies, manufacturers of microelectronics, etc.
  • 44% consider implementing software and discrete automation.
  • Companies mainly want to automate the processes related to production, data collection and processing, administration, and quality control.
  • The automotive industry remains the main user of industrial robots in Bulgaria: an average of one robot per 45.85 employees helps in 4 factories for automotive components. In mechanical engineering, the food industry, automation, and household appliances, one robot assists 70.66 employees in the company.
  • The primary incentives for investment in robotic systems are quality, cost optimization, and the lack of workforce.

 

You can find more data from the survey in PARA’s blog here, and in the video from the opening session of the “Robotics Strategy Forum 2020”. You can watch all videos of PARA on their YouTube channel here.