Automation is quickly becoming a must-have for U.S. manufacturers as companies bring more production back home and struggle to find enough workers to staff their plants.
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New research from RobCo shows that 95% of U.S. industrial businesses plan to roll out new automation within the next three years. The study surveyed 400 business leaders across manufacturing, construction, engineering, and healthcare, and points to reshoring and government incentives as two major forces behind the surge.
While only about one-third of companies say they currently use robots on the job, that number is expected to jump soon. More than half of companies, 54%, say they are already testing robots or planning to deploy them. Nearly half, 47%, are using some form of AI-powered automation today, and 94% say their physical machines are now at least partly connected to digital systems for monitoring and control.
For companies already using automation, the payoff is showing up fast. More than half report gains in productivity and time savings. Many also say automation has helped cut waste and improve how efficiently they use materials and energy.
Worker shortages raise the pressure
Labor remains one of the biggest challenges facing U.S. factories. Deloitte estimates the country will need 3.8 million industrial workers over the next few years, but the labor pool could fall short by nearly 2 million people.
That gap is pushing companies to lean harder into automation. Many say they are using it to tighten up daily operations, improve reporting and data accuracy, and reduce human error. Automation is also increasingly seen as a tool to support workers rather than replace them. The survey found that 58% of employees and 55% of unions view automation in a positive way.
So far, 43% of companies say automation has led to lighter workloads, higher productivity, and better morale on the floor. Businesses also say they are adopting automation to reduce repetitive tasks, deal with staff shortages, and improve job satisfaction.
High costs shift interest toward flexible funding
Even with strong momentum, the road to automation is not cheap. Nearly half of the companies said high upfront costs remain a major barrier. Another 27% pointed to a shortage of skilled workers capable of integrating and managing the technology.
To work around those challenges, companies are moving away from large one-time robot purchases and toward more flexible funding options. Leasing, state and federal grants, and robots-as-a-service models are all gaining traction.
“Modern robot-as-a-service models offer companies an attractive opportunity to significantly lower the barriers to entry into automation. Instead of high initial investments, companies pay predictable monthly or usage-based fees, thus avoiding long-term risks,” said Roman Hölzl, CEO and co-founder of RobCo.
“The model allows new technologies to be tested flexibly without tying up large sums of money, while providers take care of service, repairs, and software updates. In turn, downtime is reduced, operational reliability increases, and automation projects can be implemented more quickly, often without lengthy internal approval processes. At the same time, the ongoing shortage of skilled workers continues to intensify, making automation not a hurdle but a key part of the solution. Automating the ordinary today enables skilled workers to focus on the extraordinary.”
