🦾 Interview Sysaxes
We were lucky to get with one of the Sysaxes co-founders, Erik Pourtau, for a discussion about Universal Robot, Sysaxes and the landscape of computer vision in the manufacturing industry.
Founded in 2014 by Erik Pourtau and Eric Rosello, SYSAXES is now the benchmark French distributor for major companies.
We have been working with Sysaxes for a few years now, and were lucky to get with one of the co-founders, Erik Pourtau, for a discussion about Universal Robots, Sysaxes, and the landscape of computer vision in the manufacturing industry.
The full interview is available here.
INBOLT
Hello Erik, thank you for taking the time for this interview with inbolt. To start off, can you tell me about your background, and how Eric Rosello and you came to create Sysaxes?
Erik Pourtau
We are two co-managers at Sysaxes, Éric Rosello and myself.
We both attended a conference in Besançon about the robotics of the future. It was during this event that one of the attendees told us about an innovative little robot from Denmark. Intrigued, we did some research and found Universal Robots. We immediately realized this was an opportunity we couldn't miss.
We were almost exclusively focused on the automotive sector, about 99%. We had difficulty selling robots outside of the automotive industry.
When we discovered the UR robot, we thought, "This is something we need to focus on." We met them in January 2011 and left with a robot, determined to halt everything else and exclusively focus on this.
That's how we began our journey with Universal Robots.
In 2011, we sold 7 robots. In 2012, that number increased to 29. In 2013, we sold 49. Then, our sales grew exponentially. We have been working with Universal Robots (UR) for about 12 and a half years now.
In terms of robotic arms, we only work with Universal Robots. However, we do have other products. What has greatly changed with UR is our shift from a single robot model to 8 different models today. But what has truly evolved is everything around it.
For instance, one of UR's brilliant ideas was to innovate by creating a smaller robot that is much simpler than the others, that almost any user can operate. The idea was to democratize robot usage. They're still a bit technical but are far easier to use. As a result, we introduced these robots into small businesses with two or three employees, which was unthinkable before.
Another smart move by UR was launching the UR+ partnership program. Any company, known or unknown, that develops products suited for UR, can join this program. The goal is to keep the robot relatively simple while adding accessories, like a camera in your case. The entire system must remain user-friendly. Creating this ecosystem, of which we are now distributors, was a brilliant idea.
INBOLT
What other items does Sysaxes sell within the UR ecosystem?
Erik Pourtau
Initially, we primarily had clamps and suction systems, among others. They can also be glue guns, sanders, screwdrivers, etc. However, we also use a lot of vision systems. There's a multitude of accessories. We sell fewer standalone robots and increasingly complete systems - a robot with additional equipment.
This trend is very evident. A robot alone doesn't hold much value. A robot by itself is useless - it's a "near-machine" since it can't do anything on its own.
We offer more and more accessories. If we have a range of products in our catalog that can meet the client's needs, we increase our average cart.
INBOLT
Does Sysaxes connect integrators with clients, or does it consider itself partly as an integrator?
Erik Pourtau
At the very beginning of our journey with UR, we were the first to sell them in France, and naturally, they were unknown. We did everything from prospecting to commissioning. However, by the second year, as the business began to grow, we started having integrator clients. We chose not to integrate anymore because we would be competing with our clients. Plus, integrating, say, 29 robots is a massive task. We didn't want to become a 50-person company right away. So, we chose to remain as distributors, which is still the case today.
However, with our genuine background in robotics, we kind of know what we're talking about. We can support both the end client and the integrator in defining solutions. We like to get technically involved in new projects to suggest how certain things might be done.
INBOLT
What's the sales cycle for Sysaxes, from the moment a client contacts you until the solution is implemented?
Erik Pourtau
One of the unique features of our UR robots is that they are sold without options, which is different from the traditional approach in the automotive sector where customers can customize their robot with a range of options. This streamlined approach has the advantage of not confusing customers who are often buying their first robot. Furthermore, the absence of offering options has another major consequence: delivery time. A traditional robot can have a delivery time of 6 months or even 18 months in the current context. Our robots, on the other hand, can be delivered in 2 weeks, as we don't need to customize production for each order.
This approach has proven to be a winning gamble, especially with the delivery challenges we are experiencing today. All our robots are identical and can be delivered within days. This naturally impacts the sales and installation cycle, and consequently, the overall project cycle, which is greatly reduced.
INBOLT
Do you think vision is truly necessary in robotics, from a roboticist's perspective?
Erik Pourtau
Vision in robotics can add an additional layer of complexity, and I am not in favor of its constant use. Vision can be influenced by various environmental factors such as lighting, dust, etc., and requires specific expertise to be implemented effectively. If the use of vision is inevitable, then it is crucial to work with the right partners who have the necessary expertise in this area.
INBOLT
Would you say that in France, the sector is "small" enough, so to speak, for networking to play a significant role?
Erik Pourtau
Yes, because in the end, we all kind of know each other. It's like in every sector, I suppose. We are all one big family. And like in any family, there are people you appreciate more than others, but that's life. Everyone has their own microcosm. These are relatively small communities, so good news spreads quickly, and bad news even faster.
I think in areas like vision, that's really where you shouldn't mess around. Testing is almost mandatory to reassure the client, but also to reassure yourself and reassure the distributor who is naturally going to sell your system. We have another vision system other than inbolt that we sell, and we never sell it without testing. Yet, it's a company that has been around for ten years, and we sell a lot of them. But there isn't a sale without testing. Because there's vision at play, vibrations. Whenever you're in the "intangible", whenever it's not black or white, I think it's better to take your time.
INBOLT
Why did Sysaxes decide to stay loyal to UR rather than branch out with other robot brands?
Erik Pourtau
There are two main reasons why we couldn't do it.
The first is related to our relations with UR, which might not appreciate us selling other brands.
The second main reason is that all the long-established robot brands don't have distributors. They sell directly. They don't have this distribution layer, so there's no place for us.
Except for newcomers, companies that are getting into collaborative robotics like UR need distributors. Today, we are very happy with our partnership with UR. We have sold a significant number of robots. In my opinion, UR maintains a significant lead over its competitors, even the more renowned ones. Clients who test other major cobot brands are not always convinced. As always, each brand has its strengths and weaknesses. At the time, UR was really the first on the market. That's why we chose to work with them, and today, they remain a major player in collaborative robotics. They have also managed to surround themselves with partners like you, which is one of UR's strengths today. They offer a product that has many advantages in my view.
We are better able to address clients' issues, I believe, than many of our competitors because we have many partners around us doing great things with digital technology.
INBOLT
They really pulled off something remarkable by establishing themselves in a sector that didn't previously exist. As you mentioned earlier, Sysaxes is a stable company, which is fantastic. In terms of the next steps, is there anything you're looking forward to in the future?
Erik Pourtau
Today, our focus is simply to follow the trend. It might not sound ideal, and it might seem derogatory, but the move towards collaborative robotics is already a massive challenge. Every day there's something new. Almost daily, a partner like inbolt releases a new product. There's always something ongoing. Not a week goes by without someone reaching out to us on LinkedIn or elsewhere.
Even though there are more and more players in the collaborative robotics field, the market keeps growing, so our workload increases. We try to remain relevant to our clients in the field of collaborative robotics, and that in itself is a significant challenge.
We see all the possibilities, and there's still so much out there. Really, our growth will come from continuing to push collaborative robotics in France, as many have yet to see a cobot. Ultimately, we've only just begun. Things are moving very fast.
INBOLT
Indeed, it's exhilarating to be in such a burgeoning sector witnessing so many innovations, especially from a human perspective. Speaking of trends, have you noticed any shifts since you started? For instance, are certain types of businesses approaching more frequently now, or types of systems or requests people didn't have before?
Erik Pourtau
Yes, a major trend, as I was saying, is that we are selling the robot with more add-ons. It makes sense because 12 years ago, nobody knew robots. Now, they're becoming more widely recognized, and we're getting more qualified requests, meaning the client says: "I want this, plus this, plus this.”
There's an increasing trend of having a more detailed shopping list from clients. Now, when we get a request, we try to verify it, to speak with the client. This trend is because people are learning over time and doing a lot of research, especially online.
Another advantage of having competitors is that the more people work in collaborative robotics, the more it's talked about. So, the more clients talk about it, the more research they do. Of course, having competitors has its downsides, but this is definitely one upside.
And the other significant trend, unfortunately or fortunately, is the decline of the labor force. More and more, people are saying, "I want a robot to weld because my production is increasing and/or my worker is retiring, and nobody wants to do the job he does today." It's a broader, more political issue, but the good news is that now, we might have solutions.