Robotics is a disruptive technology that is playing an increasingly important role in the manufacturing industry. Ontario has the right environment – an ideal blend of industrial and consumer markets, supply chain clusters, and academia and research institutions – for robotics and automation companies to flourish.

As a disruptive technology, robotics offers many benefits to users. Global demand for robotics will continue to grow through 2020 and beyond and is projected to reach $41 billion by 2020. The average annual number of robots sold was approximately 115,000 units from 2005 and 2008. In comparison, 171,000 units were sold between 2010 and 2014 – a 48% increase (www.InvestinOntario.com).

Home to world-class companies and a broad supply chain from design engineering firms and components suppliers to OEMs and systems integrators, Ontario has it all.

Ontario companies are poised to take advantage of the many benefits industrial automation and robotics offer but there are still significant opportunities to fill automation gaps. The province’s robust automotive industry accounts for 57% of the robots used in Ontario, followed by the food and beverage sector at 9%. The gap between the automotive and the less automated sectors in Ontario represents a significant opportunity for companies to market. These industries are primed to adopt robotics technologies to keep pace with global trends towards automation.

The Oxford Connection is located in the centre of Ontario’s manufacturing belt and, with a high concentration of suppliers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in and around the region, it serves as an excellent location for serve these markets.

NAFTA Markets Nearby

Oxford Connection's Advanced Manufacturing companies have a direct line to the United States and Mexico via three major NAFTA highways: Highway 401, Highway 402 and Highway 403. The region is well situated to serve the major manufacturing centres of the Midwestern States, including Detroit, Toledo, Buffalo and Cleveland, which are all within a 2 to 4 hour drive of the Oxford Connection. Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington and Montreal are all within a day's drive.