OnRobot Open House Highlighted Practical Automation Solutions for Manufacturers!
OnRobot hosted its Build Your Automation Roadmap open house in Dallas, Texas, on February 19, bringing hands-on automation solutions to the region’s manufacturing community. The free, in-person event was aimed at manufacturers across sectors including metal fabrication, CNC machining, electronics, aerospace, and industrial equipment production, with a focus on practical ways to address ongoing labor challenges.
Manufacturers across North Texas have been facing persistent hiring difficulties. Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Texas Business Outlook Survey has consistently shown that a shortage of available applicants and candidates with the right technical skills remains one of the biggest barriers to hiring. Increased competition for labor and rising wage pressures have pushed many manufacturers to rethink how they maintain output, meet customer demand, and scale operations.
Kristian Hulgard, General Manager, Americas, at OnRobot, noted that the Dallas–Fort Worth region, as one of the largest and fastest-growing manufacturing hubs in the United States, has been feeling these labor pressures acutely. He explained that many manufacturers are running strong order books but are constrained by a lack of skilled operators, machinists, and technicians. According to Hulgard, the purpose of the roadmap event was to demonstrate practical, proven automation approaches that manufacturers can realistically deploy to fill these gaps.
During the open house, attendees viewed live demonstrations of FANUC America robots equipped with OnRobot end-of-arm tooling. The demos covered common applications such as machine tending, material handling, assembly, packaging, and quality inspection, illustrating how automation can be applied incrementally rather than through large, disruptive projects. Automation experts were available on site to share real-world experience and guide manufacturers from initial interest through to confident implementation.
The event also featured a series of focused sessions from industry specialists. Kristian Hulgard delivered an opening keynote on macrotrends driving automation adoption in the U.S. and what accelerating automation means for manufacturers in the Dallas region. Brent Lindell, District Manager at FANUC America, led live robot demonstrations and discussed practical steps in starting and scaling an automation journey. Ruben Lanz, Vice President at Adaptive Vision and Robotics, spoke about how component selection, sourcing strategies, and distribution support help keep automation projects on track. Derrell Guillory, Technical Account Manager at AWC, addressed the role of system integrators, explaining how integration expertise can reduce risk while speeding up deployment.
Overall, the Dallas open house underscored OnRobot’s focus on demystifying automation and showing manufacturers how collaborative and industrial robot solutions can be deployed quickly and effectively to improve productivity amid tightening labor markets.
