FANUC America Corp., a supplier of CNCs, robotics, and ROBOMACHINEs, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony this week to mark the start of construction on its more than 800,000-square-foot west campus facility in Auburn Hills.
A highlight of the ceremony included a FANUC CRX Cobot, built to work alongside people, assist company executives and a group of VIPs break ground for the new facility.
“This investment represents our commitment to the future of U.S. manufacturing,” says Mike Cicco, president and CEO of FANUC America. “Since opening our 460,000-square-foot North campus three years ago, our business has increased significantly, and further expansion enables us to help more customers — large and small — achieve their production goals.”
The new facility will be built on 67 acres of land purchased along with the former Thomas M. Cooley Law School. The new and existing structures will total 803,100 square feet of floorspace. With the addition of west campus, FANUC America will occupy nearly two million square feet of operational space in Oakland County.
FANUC plans to move its Customer Training Academy to the former school once renovations are complete, which the company believes to be the largest corporate automation training operation in the U.S. The redesigned facility will include more classrooms to provide better learner-to-instructor interactions, as well as increased lab space for hands-on training.
“A recent Deloitte study found that there will be at least two million unfilled manufacturing jobs within the next eight years and that’s why automation is growing at such a rapid pace,” says Cicco.
“Our new Training Academy underscores FANUC’s commitment to helping companies upskill their employees and keep production running smoothly. This in turn will enable workers to enhance their career growth opportunities as they learn how to operate robotic and automation equipment.”
FANUC’s products are applied in a wide range of industries including automotive and EV, aerospace, consumer goods, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, logistics, warehousing, and more. Since 1982, the company’s line of painting robots, and a variety of automation software products have been designed and built in Michigan.
The west campus is scheduled to open in the spring of 2024. In addition to the Training Academy, the new facility is slated to house manufacturing, engineering, and research and development.
