Trent Fisher, owner of SAS, said he has applied to Greene County for a grant to fuel what could an expansion at his South Patton Street location — or a new location altogether.
The privately held company — which makes the pinching mechanisms or “hands” at the ends of robotic arms — has grown well beyond its current home. In 2010, when the Great Recession was still keenly felt, SAS was riding out the storm by focusing on exports, with an office in Germany.
Today, SAS also has a presence in Hong Kong and Shanghai, as well as Karlsruhe, Germany.
“It’s based upon growth,” Fisher said. “Even though you’ve seen a lot of re-shoring back here — which is great, we’re in full support of — the fact is, most of the world actually lives outside of the United States.”
He didn’t give exact numbers, but he said annual revenue is growing from 10 to 20 percent a year. “It has been very robust,” Fisher said.
Other U.S. locations are possible, Fisher said. But he is also considering a new headquarters. He is speaking with Xenia and Greene County governments about his options. Draining problems on Patton are an issue, as is parking.
“SAS is a very strong company here in Xenia, and we’re very happy to have them,” said Steve Brodsky, development director for the city of Xenia. “They have had very good growth.”
Brodsky said the city and the county are working with the company. If SAS does not stay in Xenia, Brodsky would prefer to see it stay in the county.
“Our preference is to keep them in Xenia,” he added.
In Europe, hiring and retaining workers can be more expensive than in the United States, which meant manufacturers often searched for ways to use robots, creating a market that can’t be ignored. Fisher long ago recognized that as manufacturing thrives, so does it hunger for efficiency.
Often, that means robotics and automated manufacturing processes.
“Your robot is only as good as your EOAT (End of Arm Tooling),” Fisher said. “Unless you have a good hand that can function, that can grip things, in a precise way, this arm is no good.”
But the owner rejects the idea that robotics ultimately means fewer workers. Robotics and their components are manufactured, programmed and maintained, after all.
“People think this actually takes away jobs,” Fisher said. “But the effect is, it doesn’t. You need people to program them, to maintain them, to integrate them. All of that. I think it’s more or less a wash.”
Robots can boost safety, reduce worker injury and generally keep long-term costs down, he said.
“Automate or die,” is a mantra the world outside the United States often honors. In China, middle-class wages have been increasing, Fisher observed.
“They know they have to do it,” Fisher said of China. “They’re in the process to really, at a high rate, to invest” in robotics.
SAS has 45 employees total, with about 33 in Xenia. Six years ago, the company had 19 local employees and five in Germany.
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