Partnerships with top OEMs, SIs and manufacturers, and investment from Schematic and Bee Partners, reinforces company’s vision to reshape U.S. manufacturing
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, March 7, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Reshape Automation, founded by industry veterans Juan Aparicio and Carlos Vanegas, announces the preview release of its AI-powered platform, aimed at streamlining the automation journey for manufacturers of all sizes. The platform bridges the gap between workforce needs and automation adoption, igniting a transformation in the industrial automation landscape and helping US manufacturers and warehouses in deploying more robots.
American factories should be booming. After years of reshoring trends fueled by supply chain snags, geopolitical instability and a global pandemic, we should be in the new golden age of manufacturing. But the reality is far from the expectation, and manufacturers all over the country are feeling the pain of an inescapable trend: we’re running out of people to keep the machines running and the lights on at American factories. There are currently 800,000 job openings in manufacturing. By 2030 the number is expected to reach 2 million.
For decades, we've put our hopes in robotic automation to be the hero that manufacturing needs, solving our worker shortage. With only 30,000 robots rolling out annually to North American companies, the current adoption rate is barely a drop in a growing bucket. This shortfall in automation is putting our manufacturers in a tough spot, making it harder to compete, costing us business to other countries, and increasing the cost of goods right here at home.
Reshape's Platform guides manufacturers through a curated marketplace of top automation brands, products, and turnkey solutions, eliminating the need for extensive research and vendor vetting. AI agents are readily available to address questions and provide guidance. Complementing the catalog of solutions, Reshape and its network of integration partners offer a range of comprehensive integration services, allowing manufacturers to choose the right level of assistance in deploying the robotic solution based on their needs and budget. From DIY projects to fully managed experiences, the platform facilitates communication, information exchange, and project management, streamlining the automation process from start to finish.
This effort is being fueled by a $1.7M pre-seed round, also unveiled today, led by Schematic Ventures, with participation from Bee Partners, and a contribution from Oliver Cameron.
“We were excited to lead Reshape Automation's pre-seed round last year and support their mission to solve automation challenges faced by small and medium-sized manufacturers. Reshape will make the U.S. manufacturing landscape more efficient, cost-effective, and competitive on a global scale”
- Julian Counihan, General Partner @ Schematic Ventures
“I believe Reshape is in an exciting position to own a brand new category of automation: manufacturers need an automation partner from concept design, to deployment, to ongoing dedicated Support”
- Kira Noodleman, Partner @ Bee Partners
E-commerce meets industrial automation solutions
The platform launches with a diverse marketplace featuring robot arms, autonomous mobile robots (AMR), turnkey solutions and components from leading brands such as Fanuc, Robotize, Peer Robotics, Item, Nova Automation, Genba, OnRobot, Fairino, and more. Users can directly purchase equipment like a robot on a stand. However, its key feature lies in the selection of fully configurable turnkey solutions, all with transparent pricing. Manufacturers can use their smartphones to visualize the robotic workcells in Augmented Reality directly at their facility, enhancing both the experience and decision-making process
"We don’t sell and deploy enough robots in this country. There is no human contingency to the need to reshore manufacturing in the short term, and the stakes are high. If we are successful, there won't be 30,000 robots deployed a year, but millions, creating a more resilient and dynamic American industry.”
- Juan Aparicio, Co-Founder and CEO
The other side of the coin. Overcoming System Integrators and Automation vendors' Hurdles System integrators and robotic OEM companies often face lengthy sales cycles, costly customer acquisition, and the need for a consultative approach before making a final sale. This, in turn, makes it difficult to serve the SME market. The Reshape Platform streamlines the pre-sales processes, significantly cutting the time and cost of deploying automation solutions to small and mid-sized businesses.
"Manufacturers in the US are fighting an uphill battle with labor shortages. We owe it to them to put the latest advances in AI to their service so that they can adopt automation as a low-risk and trustworthy ally to win that battle. Our AI agents act as a navigational aid throughout the manufacturer's automation journey, starting from the initial discovery and design phases”
- Carlos Vanegas, Co-Founder and CTO
Platform Highlights
Effortless Automation Discovery: curated catalog of leading automation brands, products, and turnkey solutions; powered by a 24/7 AI agent that is trained with the world’s knowledge in automation.
Seamless vendor matching: manufacturer matching with the most suitable system integrators for their needs. Also, a project management tool enables real-time communication and information sharing.
Flexible Deployment Options: Manufacturers can purchase pre-configured solutions or request custom modifications. Yearly support plans are also available.
About Reshape Automation
Reshape Automation is a robotic and automation company specializing in the needs of small and mid-sized manufacturers. The team brings decades of experience deploying robots across the United States. Reshape provides an end-to-end platform for manufacturers to deploy critical automation in their factories. Manufacturers can discover, design, purchase, and get support for their automation projects, all in one place. Reshape specializes in an array of tasks including machine tending, palletizing, packing, boxing, trimming, and quality inspection. Catering to the manufacturing and logistics industries, the company is set to become the go-to place for comprehensive automation solutions.
Reshape Platform access will be available on March 11th for selected users, coinciding with the kick of Modex, where the team will be presenting. Request Access here!
Read the Reshape Manifesto
Contact
Juan Aparicio
Reshape Automation
+1 510-570-7293