In a move that is likely to be replicated by many companies in the coming decades, Japanese company Canon announced they will completely automate the manufacturing of cameras. Jan Misumi, company spokesman, made the announcement this month, that in the next few years, the company will completely rely on robots to produce their cameras.
This gargantuan move will be made in an effort to cut cost, Misumi explained. Of course, many worry that this trend of robotic automating will lead to job loss, but the company denies this.
The company points out that as the yen soars in value, companies are choosing to move production out of Japan. (Side note: This truly illustrates how backwards global monetary and financial systems are) So, in order to avoid moving out of Japan, robots will handle production at the Canon factories and those workers being displaced will be assigned new jobs in a different part of the organization.
Misumi did not give a date for when this switch would be completed, but some speculate it could happen as early as early as 2015.
See the below short form Discovery Documentary on how camera lenses are made. Then see who will be replaced.
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