Local Congressman Calls Robotics Key To Future Competitiveness In Global Manufacturing

     Tennessee Rand, Inc.  designs and builds robotics used by a variety of manufacturers. Vice President Don Peters says their products play a major role in making cars, "Components for Honda, for Toyota, for Chrysler, for GM. We also work in some industries outside of the automotive, like Harley Davidson, they're one of our larger customers, welding motorcycle frames, fuel tanks..."
    Business has grown tremendously during the last few years.
    Peters explains more manufacturers turn to robotics as a way to compete in the global market, "In order to be competitive with Mexico and China and some of the other countries, some companies have started bringing in automation. It helps them both increase their production, as well as higher quality to help them compete."

    Congressman Zach Wamp co-founded the Congressional Robotics Caucus. He calls robotics the key to the country's future competitiveness against other countries, "You're going to have low-cost labor in some of these countries. The question is, are we ahead of them, or, are we behind them? They'll get the work if we're behind them. We'll get the jobs, if we're ahead of them."