As technology advances, a rising industry of robotics and automation is quickly changing the way we work and live. Investors can also gain exposure to this growing technology industry through a targeted exchange traded fund strategy.
On the recent webcast (available on-demand for CE Credit), Plug into Robotics with an ETF Strategy, Travis Briggs, CEO and Partner at ROBO Global US, argued that the robotics and automation industry is positioned to outperform the global market as the products and services become increasingly visible in every aspect of our daily and business lives.
“Robotics is not a niche, but a foundational technology being applied to all industries and markets,” Briggs said.
William Studebaker, Head of Global Strategies and Director of Research at ROBO Global, outlined the growth of the robotics industry from the humble beginnings of industrial robots first introduced exclusively for auto manufacturers to the current greater adoption through decreasing automation costs and technology advancements that have greatly expanded applications and improved productivity.
Henrick Christensen, Director of UC San Diego Contextual Robotics Institute, pointed out that according to Myria research, the robotics market could expand to $1.2 trillion by 2025, compared to the current size of about $64 billion, which leaves a lot of room for further growth. The robotics market could help shape both industrial and consumer industries through applications like manufacturing 3D printing, healthcare, consumer homes, entertainment, logistics, telepresence, energy and drones, among others.
A number of factors are fueling the global growth in the rising robotics segment. For example, there is a convergence of falling prices and performance improvements of robotics, increased demand for high complexity and mission critical applications, increasing global automation penetration rates, high labor costs and a greater need for productivity, and mass production that is increasingly being customized.