Industry News

ABB sells its first U.S.-manufactured robot to Hitachi

March 27, 2017

The IRB 2600 robot is the first to be produced at the ABB Auburn Hills, Michigan facility.

The 180th ABB robot at the Hitachi plant, the IRB 2600 robot, is painted red, white and blue to commemorate ABB's milestone.

ABB has sold its first robot manufactured in the United States, the IRB 2600. The robot is the first to be produced at the ABB Auburn Hills, Michigan facility, and was sold to Hitachi Powdered Metals USA.

“The sale of ABB’s first robot produced in the US to Hitachi is a tremendous milestone in the development of our manufacturing presence in the Americas,” said Sami Atiya, president of ABB’s robotics and motion division.

The compact robot will be used for material handling of in-process engine component parts.

In May 2015, ABB announced that it would begin producing robots in Auburn Hills, making it the first of the major industrial robot companies to commit to an American manufacturing footprint.

By 2018 ABB is planning that 75% of all the models delivered to North American end-users will be manufactured in the United States. According to the company, previous robots sold in the Americas were made in Sweden and in China.