Roboticom and Forged Path Automation Partner to Expand Turnkey Robotic Finishing Solutions
Roboticom, a Landrum, S.C.-based manufacturer of robots designed for repeatable processes such as cutting, sanding, and finishing, has partnered with Forged Path Automation (FPA) to expand distribution and develop integrated automation solutions for U.S. manufacturers.
FPA, founded in September 2025, will serve as an authorized U.S. distributor and end-to-end implementation partner—handling everything from initial design and tooling to installation, training, and ongoing support. The company was co-founded by Chris Urban, a 25-year manufacturing veteran who has built and directed multiple teams and operations globally.
Central to the partnership is Roboticom's proprietary ARPP software, which standardizes controls across automated tasks and reduces training time from the industry-typical weeks or months down to days. The platform is transferable across multiple operations, giving facilities a single software layer for a range of processes.
"Typically, on a manufacturing line, you have multiple processes with different programming languages and unique skillsets for each operation. The Roboticom software equalizes the playing field, ensuring faster training and reduced staffing requirements," said Urban. "Going forward, we envision a manufacturing plant where every function can utilize this same software for flexible, lower-cost operation."
Roboticom's core industrial product, SandRob, automates finishing tasks including sanding, polishing, trimming, carving, and milling across materials such as stone, composites, plastics, and metals. The system handles intricate detail work across varied shapes and sizes, targeting common plant-floor pain points: skilled labor shortages, repetitive task fatigue, and worker exposure to hazardous materials.
FPA brings an established network across gas turbine, automotive, aerospace, and industrial manufacturing sectors—markets where the precision and repeatability of ARPP-driven systems are a direct fit. Beyond distribution, FPA and Roboticom will collaborate on developing additional automated solutions for integrated lines built around the software platform.
"They've laid the foundation, and now we're coming in to help them build the house," said Urban. "Our team has decades of experience in the manufacturing world. We know the challenges that the industry is facing, and we know how this software and these robots can be a game changer."
About the Author
Laura Davis
Editor-in-Chief, New Equipment Digest
Laura Davis is the editor in chief of New Equipment Digest (NED), a brand part of the Manufacturing Group at EndeavorB2B. NED covers all products, equipment, solutions, and technology related to the broad scope of manufacturing, from mops and buckets to robots and automation. Laura has been a manufacturing product writer for eight years, knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the industry, along with what readers are looking for when wanting to learn about the latest products on the market.