Industrial Robotics give Marlin Employees Super Powers

NPR: The President's Week Ends On A Productive Note
by Scott Horsley
June 25, 2011


President Obama says if America wants a strong, growing economy, it needs robust, growing factories. In Pittsburgh on Friday, Obama launched a new partnership with businesses and universities. It's designed to give a boost to the manufacturing sector in hopes that factories will then offer more, good-paying jobs. The announcement capped a week in which Obama also began winding down the war in Afghanistan and tip-toed around the fight over same-sex marriage. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

SCOTT SIMON >> This is weekend Edition from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon.

President Obama says if America's going to have a robust, growing economy, it needs robust, growing factories. And in Pittsburgh yesterday, Mr. Obama launched a new partnership with businesses and universities.

It's designed to give a boost to the manufacturing sector in hopes that factories will then offer more good-paying jobs. The announcement capped a week in which the president also began winding down the war in Afghanistan, and tiptoed close the debate over same-sex marriage.

NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

SCOTT HORSLEY >> Mr. Obama went to Pittsburgh to stress the importance of making U.S. factories more competitive. But churning out more products at lower costs wasn't the only thing on the president's mind as he toured the National Robotics Engineering Center.

President BARACK OBAMA: One of my responsibilities as Commander-in-Chief, is to keep an eye on robots.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Pres. BARACK OBAMA: And I'm pleased to report that the robots you manufacture here seem peaceful.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Pres. BARACK OBAMA: At least for now.

SCOTT HORSLEY >> Industrial robots are one way for American factories to become more productive. Drew Greenblatt(ph) runs a factory in Baltimore that makes metal baskets used in industry.

Far from displacing workers, Greenblatt says, the robots in his factory have made those workers more valuable, so he's been able to hire more of them.

Mr. DREW GREENBLATT >> (President, Marlin Steel Wire Products, Baltimore, Maryland): You can't compete with your employees having equipment equal to the Chinese or the Mexicans, you have to have equipment that's far superior. And the way to make our employees like Superman, and give them super powers, is to allow them robot technology so that they can much more productive, much more efficient, much higher quality.

SCOTT HORSLEY >> Robots, advanced materials and energy efficient processes will all be on the menu for Mr. Obama's advanced manufacturing partnership.

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