South Korea Ranks 2nd Globally in Robot Ratio Per 10,000 Employees
Mir Records Triple-Digit Growth in Korean AMR Market
IP52 rated MiR600·1350 AMR, suitable for industrial use


According to data released by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) in April, Singapore had the highest ratio of robots per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing industry with 918 units, followed by South Korea with 868 units. The primary applications were in the display, memory, automotive, and battery industries.

On the 19th, MiR (Mobile Industrial Robots) held an online conference and unveiled two types of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) capable of transporting heavy loads in factories and warehouses, and introduced its business strategy for the domestic market, where robot adoption rates are high.

The 'MiR600' and 'MiR1350' robots unveiled by Mir in Korea this time can carry 600 kg (1,322 pounds) and 1,350 kg (2,976 pounds) of cargo, respectively, as indicated by the numbers following the product names. It offers IP52 dust and splash resistance, making it resistant to dust and water droplets, and is suitable for cargo transport in shipping areas, production and assembly areas, storage areas, and material delivery areas.

Like Mir’s existing AMRs, the MiR100, MiR200, MiR250, MiR500, and MiR1000, the MIR600 and MIR1350 move smoothly between people and other transport equipment in dynamic environments. Utilizing various sensors such as 3D cameras and the latest laser scanning technology, they secure a 360° field of view in all directions and are designed to comply with the latest safety standards such as ISO 3691-4.

When many companies adopt robots, the most important consideration is whether they can be flexibly adapted to their work environment. MiR’s AMRs offer a high degree of flexibility, allowing for the construction of customized applications through different top modules.

In addition, Mir's AMRs operate with a number of built-in safety features, such as dynamic safety zone monitoring, and can be controlled in real time with Mir's fleet management software.

Søren E. Nilsson of Mir "The two new AMRs are industrial-grade solutions that are robust against external environments and capable of long-term operation with user-friendly components and cables," said President Nielsen. "They increase employee efficiency and ensure safety."

Poi Toong Tang, Vice President of Sales for Mir Asia Pacific, emphasized, “Due to the increase in global demand for AMRs driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, we achieved 55% sales growth in the first quarter alone, and we expect growth of over 41% in the second quarter as well,” adding, “In the Korean market, in particular, we recorded triple-digit growth rates in the first half of the year due to increased demand in the electronics and automotive sectors.”

He added, “82% of Mir’s sales in Korea come from the electronics and automotive sectors,” stating, “In addition to our existing Incheon-based distribution partners, we have secured partners in Daegu to expand our support measures to companies in the remaining sectors, namely logistics, medical, and consumer industries.” He also added, “We plan to establish a Korean branch as early as the second half of this year.”

Mir's headquarters are located in Odense, Denmark, where robot-related companies such as Universal Robots and OnRobot are concentrated, and it was acquired by Teradyne, an automation test equipment company, in 2018.