Bulgarian companies will be looking for software process automation and automated collection and processing of production data, according to a study by the Professional Association of Robotics and Automation (PARA) on the level of automation in the industry in Bulgaria and the investment plans of companies in the field next year. The survey results were presented at this year’s edition of Robotics Strategy Forum 2021, organized by the Association in partnership with Sofia Tech Park.
The answers this year showed that the companies in our country are changing their priorities. Over the past year, their attitudes have been dictated by the state of closed sectors, reduced consumption, and shrinking production. This year the focus is shifting to accelerated implementation of robots, advances in industrial automation, chip shortages, battery production. The motives for investments in automation are also changing. So far, the chief reason has been the increase in production, and this year 58% of companies are looking for cost optimization through automation, 54% – process integration, 50% – improving quality, 42% – increasing production, and 38% – solving the shortage of labor-related problems. Respondents had the opportunity to indicate more than one leading reason for expected investments in automation.
Once again, with the option for more than one answer, the results show that among the most desirable activities in which companies plan to invest are data collection and processing – 58%, administration – 50%, production – 46%, quality control – 29%, logistics – 25%, product development, and research and development – 25%, packaging – 25%, marketing, and sales – 21%. The need for software automation has been pointed as most important by 50% of respondents. Most companies (46%) plan to invest up to BGN 100 thousand, and 21% – between BGN 100 and 300 thousand. Between BGN 300 and 500 thousand are planned by 8% of the companies, 13% – over BGN 1 million, and only 13% say they do not have a set-aside budget for automation.
When asked, “What type of robots would help your production process?” the leading answer is component assembly robots, with 33% of respondents. The other answers are similar, as most companies want to invest in several types of robots simultaneously: inspection robots – 25%, collaboration robots – 21%, welding – 21%, loading/filling – 21%, application coatings – 17%.
The panel discussions within Robotics Strategy Forum 2021 covered topics such as Bulgaria’s presence in the global chip supply chains, the opportunities for Bulgaria in the face of electric mobility, the progress of autonomous systems and accelerated deployment of robots, new projects, and developments in us in industrial automation, etc. Flying and collaborative robots, training cages, and other innovations in robotics and automation, developed or implemented in companies in Bulgaria, were demonstrated in the expo zone of the forum.
Sofia Municipality was the institutional partner of the event through its Department for Digitalization, Innovation, and Economic Development (Innovative Sofia). The event’s opening was attended by the Deputy Mayor for Digitalization Gencho Kerezov, who presented innovative projects in Sofia’s automation field, the work with local companies through Sofia’s “sandbox for innovation,” initiatives for the development of the technological community in the city, and others.
Watch a recording of the opening and all the discussions during the forum here.
