REAL ROBOTS: Port of Catoosa manufacturers get high-tech demonstration lab [Video]

ROGERS COUNTY, Okla. — The Port of Catoosa welcomed a new high-tech demonstration lab that may inspire local manufacturers to update its technology.

The Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance’s demonstration lab is nearly 2,000 square feet and features a robotic box-building machine.

“The manufacturing that we designed and put in here, was really designed and set up to support small and medium-sized manufacturers. Those that don’t have necessarily a large resource base. And have the ability to experiment and use some of these technologies,” said OMA President and CEO Dave Rowland.

OMA partnered with Roger County and the Port Authority to fund the site.

The lab offers manufacturers a hands-on experience to try out the technology and determine whether they want to adopt it.

The advanced robotic systems are not expected to replace jobs, but the people 2 News spoke with said they may change positions.

“Automation doesn’t necessarily take our jobs. …