In print-on-demand, recruiting skilled staff has been a mounting challenge over the past few years. And if we focus specifically on the U.S. market, the issue is only set to intensify. According to Forbes (28 April 2025), the U.S. is forecasted to be short by approximately 2 million manufacturing workers by 2030. With the push toward reshoring manufacturing, labor pressures will only increase.
Given this outlook, the next question is: how do we manage the existing shortage of skilled workers in our factories and prepare for even greater skills pressure in the future? Perhaps not a great surprise coming from me, but I think the answer lies in automation – specifically, in combining rule-driven systems with automated machinery and, increasingly, practical forms of robotics to help close the gap. The goal is to focus your skilled staff on high value added and use machines to remove basic tasks and free up your people.
We’ve all got a pretty good handle on automated machinery, so in this week’s article, I want to unpack what we really mean when we talk about “robots” for print-on-demand purposes, and why the opportunity is more accessible than many businesses think.
When most people hear “robots,” they immediately picture high-end innovations like Tesla’s Optimus program – sophisticated, humanoid-style automation – futuristic and expensive. But in reality, the robotics revolution in print-on-demand will be driven by simpler, faster, and much more affordable technologies designed to address immediate labor needs.
There are two key categories of robots that are viable for print-on-demand operations today.
Task transfer robots
First, task-level transfer robots: these are relatively low-cost, six-axis robotic arms, capable of performing simple repetitive tasks like lifting, placing, sorting, or transferring goods. They typically have shoulder, elbow, and wrist movements, and are highly trainable for specific workflows. Entry-level models can now be sourced from $4,000 (subject to tariffs), making them surprisingly achievable for many factories. These robots were all over Drupa this year, often in end of press and pallet stacking roles but also in other applications like dye-making.
Transport robots
Second, transport robots: small, container-like units equipped with basic navigation systems, capable of autonomously moving stock from one station to another inside the facility. Think of them as mobile conveyor belts on wheels — flexible, adaptable, and a great way to take low-value manual transport work off your team’s plate.
Both types of robots offer a meaningful way to reduce labor pressures by targeting the lowest-skilled, most repetitive tasks in the factory — freeing up your skilled human workers to focus on higher-value activities where judgement, dexterity, or quality control are paramount.
Underpinnings
However, for robotics to deliver their full potential, one critical enabler must be in place: an integrated workflow system that can dynamically instruct, track, and record every robotic action. Robots need to know what to do, where to do it, and how their work fits into the larger production rhythm – and that requires a system designed with end-to-end workflow control at its core.
The bottom line is if you’re feeling the pressure of recruitment shortages (and based on every trend we see, that pressure is only going to grow) then its time to get across robotic automation and how these devices could play a role in future-proofing your factory.
If you’d like to explore what that could look like for your operation, we’d love to have a conversation with you. Reach out — we’re always happy to share what we’ve learned and help you build a smarter, more resilient workflow for the future.
