COVID-19 drive l'adoption rapide de la robotique dans les supply chains

Points clés :

• COVID-19 a accéléré le déploiement d'automatisation qui limite la transmission du virus.
• Les entreprises doivent décider si la robotique est un tool for operational efficiency ou un catalyst for strategic innovation.
• Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) offre un low-capex entry point for firms with limited budgets.

Alors que les supply chains naviguent la pandémie, les businesses embrassent cautiously la robotique pour maintain continuity et safety.

Avant COVID-19, tightening labor markets pushed manufacturers toward robotics to boost productivity et cut costs. A 2020 MHI supply-chain report shows robotics adoption rose to 32% et automation to 39% — the fastest growth among all supply-chain technologies between 2019 et 2020.

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Even amid tighter budgets, the sector still views robotics as a long-term strategic investment. An IDC 2020 survey found 73% of respondents consider robotics « important » or « very important » for the next three years.

Modern robots excel at highly repetitive, precisely programmed tasks. In warehouses, a robot can transport carts between aisles, freeing human workers to pick items more quickly. 6 River Systems' Guy Courtin notes that « robots can pull heavy carts et reduce wasted walking in warehouses. »

In manufacturing, targeted robotic solutions can simplify complex operations. For example, a company uses a point-and-click interface to program intricate sanding patterns on contoured surfaces, cutting a multi-day setup into a 20-minute task, says Universal Robots' Joe Campbell.

COVID-19 et E-Commerce : Drivers of Automation

The pandemic heightened the need to limit close contact, prompting many firms that previously avoided robotics to reconsider automation. Courtin observes, « Since COVID, we've seen more companies embrace robotics to maintain a 6-foot distance et address labor shortages. »

Simultaneously, e-commerce surged as stay-at-home orders increased. Adobe's Digital Economy Index reports a 49% jump in April e-commerce orders amid closed brick-and-mortar stores. This shift creates new demands for flexible, high-throughput automation.

John Santagate, VP at Körber Supply Chain, explains, « The rise of e-commerce requires fewer people in warehouses yet higher fulfillment rates. Robots help optimize productivity et meet that demand. »

Robotics-as-a-Service Accelerates Adoption

Robotics can be expensive, especially for organizations lacking in-house expertise. A recent advanced robotics report shows that 90% of companies with revenues over $1 billion have already deployed advanced robotics, whereas firms under $250 million lag significantly due to budget constraints.

RaaS mitigates upfront costs et shortens deployment time — from months to weeks. Randy Bradley, Associate Professor of Information Systems et Supply Chain Management at the University of Tennessee, notes, « Robotics-as-a-service frees you from capital expenditure et reduces implementation time. »

For smaller firms, RaaS levels the playing field in an unpredictable supply chain. « Previously, small players lacked capital to experiment, but now they can compete », Bradley says. « RaaS models often use lasers or sonar, so you don't need to retrofit facilities. »

Robots : Augmenting or Replacing Human Work?

Automation's workforce impact remains contested. An Oxford Economics study projects 20 million manufacturing jobs displaced by 2030. A McKinsey analysis suggests that while 60% of jobs will have 30% of tasks automated, only 5% will be fully automated.

Proponents argue robotics primarily augment human capabilities. Santagate remarks, « Robots don't replace workers; they enable them to perform faster, higher-quality work — much like how a nail gun replaces a hammer. »

In regions like China, where robotics adoption is accelerating, the narrative is nuanced. Felix Yang of SF DHL China notes, « Current automation largely replaces repetitive manual labor, but collaborative robots are expected to join more complex production processes. »

Bradley cautions that framing robotics solely as an efficiency tool can drive headcount cuts. « If the goal is only cost reduction, you waste the strategic potential of robotics », he says. « Robotics should unlock new services, products, et faster time-to-market. »

As supply chains evolve, the challenge will be to align robotics deployment with long-term innovation goals rather than short-term cost savings.