While French industry is still struggling to modernize its production facilities (the average age of its machine tools has risen by almost 2 years since 2008), the audit carried out by the Boston Consulting Group shows that a significant part of the gains in competitiveness will come from the integration of new production technologies. Thanks to new-generation robots alone, labor costs could fall by more than 16 % by 2025. However, the study warns that if nothing is done, France will fall behind. This news argues in favor of strengthening the "Robotics" and "Factory of the Future" plans envisaged by Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron.
With the French Minister of the Economy announcing his intention to review the 34 plans for a New Industrial France, industry players seem confident that the Factory of the Future will be strengthened, along with the robotics plan. A recent Boston Consulting Group study proves them right. While it reminds us that the French robotics park, particularly in SMIs, still needs to be developed and modernized, it makes clear promises about gains in competitiveness.
9 % of gains if nothing is done...
With an average age of 19 years for the French machine tool fleet, and fewer than 40,000 robots in France compared with 162,000 in Germany, France doesn't seem to be in the best position.
Symop Chairman Jean-Camille Uring points out: ". that unless it changes course, France will lose the battle to lower labor costs by modernizing its production facilities. If nothing is done, over the next few years we risk seeing labor costs fall by just 9 %, compared with -16 % in the rest of the world and -21 % among our German and British neighbors. Fortunately, the directions taken by the Minister of the Economy are likely to change the situation and provide a welcome boost. With the "Robotics" and "Factory of the Future" plans, we can catch up.
This is confirmed by Jean Tournoux, the union's general delegate, who sums up the situation as follows In concrete terms, modernizing our industrial production facilities with robots and production technologies means greater productivity and lower costs. This guarantees that we can maintain our fabric of SMI/ETIs, retain a highly qualified workforce and regain our export momentum.
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