RobCo

RobCo develops flexible robotic hardware kits for a variety of applications in SME manufacturing, such as machine loading and unloading, palletizing, dispensing, milling, engraving, and welding. The company’s robotic arms consist of seven or eight modular components, with different payload capacities and ranges depending on the use case. Thanks to RobCo Studio, the company’s vertically-integrated hardware and software platform, customers can intuitively assemble, configure, deploy, and manage the robots via a digital twin—a low-code approach that eliminates the need for manufacturers to retain onsite specialists. Robots can be easily reprogrammed for changing tasks.

RobCo offers its end-to-end solution through a robots-as-a-service (RaaS) model: Customers pay a fixed monthly fee for services rather than buying the hardware. The package includes the robots, application scoping and technical planning, installation, 24/7 support, a CE certification, module replacement for maximum uptime, remote maintenance, and regular system upgrades. The flat, recurring fee covers all emergency service charges and unforeseen downtime. Pricing starts at €3.50/hour. (Minimum wage in Germany, where the company’s headquarters are, is €12.41/hour.)

“Industrial automation used to be the exclusive domain of large corporations with the financial resources to invest in it,” says ‍Roman Hölzl, RobCo’s co-founder and CEO. “But we think every factory deserves access to this technology. RaaS lets us deliver a comprehensive solution with no upfront costs, allowing manufacturers to combat skilled labor shortages and see immediate returns.”