Working Smart
Welding robot in Ningbo Ruyi Joint Stock Co., Ltd. by Wu Shouqiang At the China Machine Tool Fair in Shanghai last March, the latest industrial robots from around the world blew my mind. Replacing uniformed labor, humans in business suits simply gave robots commands and left the rest of the work to them.
“What a revolution!” I thought, upon seeing the robots working so quickly in an orderly manner. The shift from working hard to working smart is dramatic. Everything displayed was highly efficient and quality made, highlighting the industrial era version 4.0 with technological sophistication.
My company, Ningbo Ruyi Joint Stock Co., Ltd., joined hands with a well-known German company to produce handcontrolled hydraulic carriers 12 years ago. Seeing so many welders working in our factory, the German manager questioned why we didn’t use electronic welding. I was quite familiar with the technique, but replied proudly, “Creating more jobs is my responsibility, and the labor is much more affordable than robots.”
That was the end of our conservation. No bottlenecks were affecting the labor market at that time. Today, however, the tables have turned. Labor costs have skyrocketed and we now face shortages.
Even after 12 years, the German manager’s words remain fresh in my mind. Today, not only is our production line completely operated by robots, but we have introduced the world’s most state-of-the-art robotic assembly line, greatly saving labor and time as well as upgrading quality and efficiency.
The money we have saved has been reinvested into marketing and expanding our production scale. And we have placed greater focus on recruiting well-educated graduates from institutes of higher learning.
Many industries are seeing human labor replaced by intelligent equipment and cutting-edge robots, leading to concerns about dwindling employment opportunities. Men make robots like they made lights to overcome darkness. Woodcutters first used pine torches in darkness, and later invented kerosene lamps, which greatly improved their lives. Lives were further enhanced by the invention of electric lamps. Through the ages, scientific and technological progress has brought dramatic changes to human life.
The same thing happens in production. The invention of robots to replace manual labor tremendously benefits mankind, as we blaze new trails to working smarter and more harmoniously with the planet.
Chu Jiwang is president and founder of the Ningbo Ruyi Joint Stock Co., Ltd., a major Chinese logistics equipment manufacturer. More than just an entrepreneur, Chu is a recipient of the China Charity Award, the top philanthropic honor in the country. In each issue, he shares his business insights and inspirations gained from his life experience.