UK manufacturers looking to reduce operational risk and address labour shortages have received a boost today with news that iconsys has signed a strategic partnership agreement with a leading global robotics expert.
The Telford-based industrial automation specialist has committed to working with Tebulo Robotics to accelerate the deployment of advanced robotic automation solutions across heavy industry in this country.
(l-r) Mike Hoban (iconsys), Jeroen Baas (Tebulo Robotics) and Rhys Morgan (iconsys)
The agreement will see the two parties combine controls, automation and machine safety expertise with decades of robotic systems’ experience to deliver robotic cell solutions for applications, including automated destrapping and coil handling, blade coating, dross removal, and integrated marking and labelling systems.
Available solutions also feature intelligent end-of-arm tooling, machine vision and sensing technologies – all fully engineered with safety systems firmly in mind.
“We recognised very quickly that there was a strong alignment between our two businesses,” explained Andy Bunce, Technical Sales Director at iconsys.
“Tebulo Robotics brings extensive expertise in advanced robotic applications for heavy industry, whilst we provide the systems integration and machine safety capabilities needed to successfully deploy those technologies into complex manufacturing environments.”
He continued: “UK industry has historically been slower to adopt robotics than many European competitors, but manufacturers are now facing increasing pressure around productivity, labour availability, safety and operational resilience.
“What makes this partnership particularly powerful is that every solution is engineered around the customer’s operational challenges. We are designing fully integrated robotic solutions that fit within existing production environments whilst improving safety, consistency and performance in the process.”
As a technology-independent systems integrator, iconsys will support the integration of Tebulo Robotics’ technologies into both existing and new manufacturing environments, covering software, electrical systems, functional safety, mechanical guarding, installation and commissioning.
The two companies believe there is significant potential for this partnership and have already started to collaborate on a major automation project for a leading UK steel manufacturer.
Jeroen Baas, Account Manager at Tebulo Robotics, concluded: “The UK represents a major growth market for advanced industrial robotics, particularly within heavy industry where manufacturers are increasingly looking to modernise operations and improve competitiveness.
“We have already seen how effectively our technologies and engineering capabilities complement the integration expertise of iconsys. This partnership gives UK manufacturers greater access to proven robotic technologies that are already delivering results across demanding industrial applications throughout Europe.”
Founded in 1974, Tebulo Robotics has been involved in industrial robotics since the 1990s and now has more than 500 robotic systems installed across Europe.
For further information, visit www.iconsys.co.uk or www.tebulorobotics.com.
