World’s Largest Hub for Collaborative Robots Opens in Denmark

Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) and Universal Robots (UR), the two flagships of the Danish robotics industry, are to share 32,000 m2 (334,000 square feet) in a new ‘cobot hub’ in the city of Odense, the heart of Denmark’s rapidly expanding robotics cluster.

With financial backing from their joint U.S. parent company Teradyne, Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) and Universal Robots (UR) have acquired a 50,000 m2 building site in Odense, where $36 million will be invested in the construction of a major cobot hub in the “cobot capital” of the world. Collaborative robots – or cobots – are now the fastest growing segment of industrial automation. Cobots are a type of user-friendly robot that can work closely with humans without the need for safety guarding, enhancing both the work environment and productivity.

The new cobot hub supports Teradyne’s mission to further strengthen the significant leads that both MiR and UR have established worldwide.
“MiR and UR are leading the world in the collaborative robot revolution that’s making automation solutions available to companies of all sizes. Teradyne continues to invest aggressively in the development of new products, solutions, and sales channels and this new facility is a key part of our growth strategy,” says Mark Jagiela, President and CEO of Teradyne. “We have found something very special in Denmark. The Danes’ combination of innovative industrial design, combined with a practical business sense, have created a perfect combination for this emerging industry. The ability to make robots work in collaboration with humans in a user-friendly manner is something we have not encountered to this degree anywhere else in the world and we’re very excited to expand our capabilities in Odense.”

“Denmark has a significant lead in the global market for cobots. Investing ambitiously in building the world’s largest cobot hub right here in Odense makes a lot of sense,” says Thomas Visti, CEO of Mobile Industrial Robots. “Offering a strong, professional environment with superb facilities enables us to attract talent from all over the world.” MiR has hired 100 new employees the past year, with UR adding 280 new staff members during the past two years. Today, the two companies have 160 and 450 employees respectively based in Denmark. UR employs almost 700 employees worldwide while MiR’s staff counts a total of around 220 globally.

Jürgen von Hollen, President of Universal Robots, sees enormous potential in the cobot market. “This is a market expected to grow to a total value of almost $12 billion in 2030 according to ABI Research. Demand for Danish cobots already means that we are outgrowing our current offices in Odense, both at UR and MiR,” says the UR President. “Odense has a strong ecosystem of talent and we are pleased to have the opportunity to invest long-term in the unique robotics environment that we have been building here over the last 10 years.”

NB: the picture shows the vision of the new Cobot Hub in Odense. The final architectural design has not yet been determined.