Since then, Vermeiren has acquired 6 Panasonic welding robots from Valk Welding for the production at that time in Belgium, some of from which some of them later moved with the production relocation to Poland, where more than 20 units were delivered subsequently . “The attractive price and the support Valk Welding was able to provide were good reasons for us to choose for Panasonic”, head R & D Patrick Jespers says, who at the time experienced the commissioning of the first welding robot in 1988.
Due to increasing competition from low-wage countries, Vermeiren was forced to critically review the production costs. Although the bending and welding of the frames are only a small part of the production process, robotisation of the welding production has already resulted in considerable savings. Six years later, the wheelchair manufacturer decided to move the entire production to Poland because of the much lower wage costs. “Upholstery, wheel production, and assembly remain labour-intensive activities that offer few possibilities for automation”, Patrick Jespers explains.
