Northampton business using robots in production process
Active Ants opened on the Brackmills Industrial Estate last year.
A business using robots in the production process, which has a centre in Northampton, says they've seen many positives to what they do.
Active Ants on the Brackmills Industrial Estate have two types of models assembling and moving items around the site to make goods for different companies.
They're involved in the production process for online manufacturers and believe that what they do is setting a trend.
Khalil Ashong, who's a Director of the company, says they're using robots performing what'd be classed as boring and time consuming elements of a job:
"It's certainly our view of the present, though some might look at it as the future.
"We're constantly trying to innovate to see how we stay ahead of the curve.
"As for what the robots actually do, it's very much removing the mundane and monotonous tasks."
He went on to list positives and possible negatives to using automation so widely:
"There's speed, accuracy and the area they cover is a great asset to getting the job done.
"We also see a green element to what they do, as they only use a defined amount of energy.
"Commonly, there's a misconception that robots are taking over, though a robot is only a hunk of metal and still requires human programming.
"Other disadvantages are the level of upfront investment needed.
"There could also be issues with battery life which may impact on the scale of production possible at any one time."
The fulfilment centre located in Northampton is also partially reliant on solar panel powered operation and a smart lighting system.