Ross Digital keen on robotics expansion
Firm to set up local assembly line
Ross Digital, a Singapore-based robotics and automation startup for the food and beverage (F&B) industry, plans to set up a robotic service arm assembly line in Thailand to serve the country’s growing market and ensure an effective supply chain.
The move comes after the firm raised US$3 million in its Series A+ funding round in June, led by F&B company Fraser and Neave, together with existing investors, including Frasers Property and zVentures, the corporate venture arm of Razer.
The total amount raised is $15.7 million since the startup’s founding in 2017.
The firm said it is looking for more investment from venture capitalists in the second and third quarters of 2023.
“Automation is necessary for the F&B industry because of growing labour costs globally,” Gavin Pathross, chief executive and founder of Ross Digital, told the Bangkok Post.
The F&B robotic market is worth more than $100 billion globally, he said.
Although the firm is based in Asia, it is looking to explore the global market because of an increase in salaries worldwide, said Mr Pathross. He said using robots in the F&B industry ensures a sustainable business.
An annual salary increase of 10% was reported in China, and 5-7% in Thailand, so automation can help entrepreneurs deal with rising costs, while workers can pursue upskilling to do more meaningful work, said Mr Pathross.
He said robotic arms are not as expensive as they used to be. They cost around $8,000 each and it takes around 1.5 years for earnings to cover the cost, said Mr Pathross.
The company’s robots can help make cocktails and drinks, he said.
“We are working on how to automate making French fries,” said Mr Pathross.
The firm is also designing robots that can collaborate with humans and offer customised services.
He said Ross Digital plans to set up a robotic service arm assembly line in Thailand, moving away from China, as Thailand has a better supply chain situation with lower costs.
“We are looking at Thailand for robot fabrication work,” said Mr Pathross.
The assembly line in Thailand should lower the cost of shipments to other countries in the region, he said.
“To serve Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, we are looking at Thailand as a supply chain base. There are also a lot of F&B opportunities in the country,” said Mr Pathross.
The company’s key targets in Thailand include hotels, restaurants and cafes.
Robots may be necessary for hotels that do not have bartenders, he said.
As competition in the segment heats up, the company is offering a rental model, said Mr Pathross, with Ross Digital asking for a three-year commitment.
The company is pushing ahead with a target of profitability by the end of next year, he said.
“We are working on an artificial intelligence-related technology with cameras and software that would add vision capabilities to robots so they could perform tasks more accurately,” said Mr Pathross.
He said Thailand has greater potential to be a robotics hub than Indonesia because it has more robotics engineers. Robotics require designers and F&B specialists.
In June next year, the company plans to introduce robots for making ramen and noodles, said Mr Pathross.