Last week, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer shared additional details about Fanuc America's significant expansion in Pontiac to meet increased domestic demand for robotics and industrial equipment.
The robotics and automation subsidiary of Japan-based Fanuc Corporation is headquartered in Rochester Hills, which is about 8 miles east of Pontiac. Fanuc announced plans for a $90 million property and capital investment in March. The new 840,000-square-foot plant is expected to come online in late 2027.
Whitmer said the Michigan Strategic Fund Board has approved a $1.575 million performance-based grant to support the expansion, which is expected to create at least 225 new jobs, ranging from entry-level positions to advanced engineering careers. The grant is based on a total capital investment of at least $90 million. Fanuc has 1,497 employees in Michigan across five locations.
The company will use the facility for manufacturing, logistics, R&D and other industrial uses; additional investment will be in racking, material handling equipment, cranes, and other equipment.
"For more than 40 years, Fanuc America has manufactured robots in Michigan,” said Mike Cicco, president and CEO of Fanuc America. "The new facility will support the continued advancement of automation and AI-enabled technologies that are shaping the future of industry."
The expansion will increase Fanuc’s manufacturing capacity to meet domestic and foreign demand. The company said new industrial robotic models could be manufactured at the facility as well.
Last year, U.S. industrial robot installations rose by 11% year-on-year, reaching 38,000 units. The sales were driven by growth in the food industry (30%) and other non-manufacturing sectors, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). The automotive industry remains the largest adopter and reached 13,500 units, a 1% dip from 2024.
In June, IFR predicted the industrial modernization outlook in North America and the U.S. to remain "highly positive." The expectations are driven by accelerating factory reshoring initiatives and a persistent shortage of skilled labor.
According to IFR, the U.S. manufacturing industry has just 307 industrial robots in use for every 10,000 employees.
IEN reached out to Fanuc and IFR for comment, but neither immediately responded to our request.
