TOKYO -- A group of Japanese industrial robot makers that includes Fanuc and Denso is creating a database for sharing information that would let small and midsize enterprises introduce robots up to 60% more cheaply, helping these companies boost productivity.
SMEs make up 99.7% of Japan's companies, but their low productivity hampers economic growth. A government white paper finds the value added per worker for SMEs in manufacturing is 5.42 million yen ($36,200), just over one-third of the 14.6 million yen at big businesses.
