China has been a leader in mass production—with lots of manual labor— but coming shortages in China’s working-age population have experts concerned. In the past, labor was plentiful, and automation was not seen as a necessity.
But now, according to Robert Glass, ABB global food and beverage communications manager, because China’s working-age population is falling significantly, labor costs are increasing by 15-20 percent per year, compared to only 1.8 percent in the US. “This opens opportunities for automation across all economies,” says Glass.