ABB is looking to tap into a skilled labour shortage in the fast-growing construction sector to help drive the post-pandemic recovery of its robotics business and diversification from the automotive industry, the head of the division said.

The Swiss engineering group’s robotics business has been hit by the downturn in recent years in the auto sector, traditionally its biggest customer, as carmakers suffered falling sales and it quit low-margin businesses.

Construction offers new opportunities, especially with massive infrastructure programmes planned to revive the global economy after the coronavirus pandemic.

“The construction industry is facing the perfect storm,” said Sami Atiya, president of Robotics & Discrete Automation at ABB. “There is huge demand for affordable housing and more sustainable solutions, and a shortage of skilled labour.

“We have seen over the last 18 months a huge interest in automation from the construction industry.”

Some 81% of companies have said they will start using or increase their use of construction robots in the next 10 years, according to an ABB survey of 1,900 construction firms in Europe, China and the United States.

ABB is working on projects including using robots to install elevators for Switzerland’s Schindler and automating the production of components for prefabricated modular homes.

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