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Danish robot-maker plans to grow ten-fold at new HQ
Published:  07 May, 2014

Universal Robots, the Danish manufacturer of lightweight industrial robots, has moved to new headquarters, with the aim of boosting its turnover to one billion Danish kroner (€133m) by 2017 – a ten-fold increase over the figure for 2013.

The new 12,000m2 headquarters in Odense are seven times larger than the company’s former site and will extend its production capacity considerably. Since UR sold its first robot in 2008, it has been doubling its output every year.

“Our new premises allow us to increase daily production to more than 150 robots,” says Universal Robots’ CEO, Enrico Krog Iversen. “This expansion of production capacity is urgently needed, as we plan to sell 2,000 robots in 2014. Furthermore, we plan to double our sales every year from 2014 to 2017.”

The company grew out of a university research project and began with five employees. It now has a staff of more than 110. In addition to production facilities and sales offices, the new headquarters also contains a training centre.

Universal Robots' new headquarters in Denmark is seven times larger than its previous site

“Denmark is, and will always be, our robot stronghold,” says Iversen. “With the planned increase in production, we will be able to create approximately 200 new jobs at Universal Robots. This will lead to further growth at the suppliers and dealers we collaborate with, so that our expansion might lead to indirectly creating another 300 new jobs in the Odense region.”

Universal Robots has carved itself a niche as a producer of low-cost, lightweight robots that are designed to operate safely alongside human workers, without needing any physical protection in most applications. The company claims average payback periods of six months for its machines.