NASHVILLE, TN, May 22, 2025 – Hirebotics has appointed Bret Engel as vice president of sales. Engel has a technical background in metal fabrication and has worked across key industries including aerospace, defense, heavy equipment, machinery manufacturing, data centers, and contract fabrication. His appointment aligns with Hirebotics’ strategy to expand adoption of collaborative robotic systems in sectors that require high-mix, low-volume production and automated welding solutions. Engel will focus on deploying cobots in industrial settings to improve labor efficiency and process consistency.
“Cobots are the missing link in many American manufacturers,” said Rob Goldiez, president and CEO of Hirebotics. “Bret has the background to help our team reach growing manufacturers with information on the production benefits and business impact.”
Cobots assist welders and require less programming, floor space, and safety equipment than traditional robots.
Cobot welders help skilled welders by increasing output and maintaining consistent weld quality. On average, cobots achieve about 40% arc-on time, compared to 15% when welders work alone. This utilization addresses challenges such as labor shortages, inconsistent weld quality from inexperienced workers, variability in production rates, and operating costs. Cobots improve outcomes and reduce operational risk.
“I’ve seen cobots change fabrication and manufacturing,” Engel said “Traditional companies are increasingly excited about the potential to augment production, and rapidly growing industries like data centers are automating from the ground up. This is an exciting time for cobot welding, and I’m thrilled to join the Hirebotics team.”
Engle will lead the team of direct sales and channel partners to meet rising cobot demand in American manufacturing. Hirebotics’ focus on user-friendly software, simple installation, and accessible support positions it to serve both companies new to automation and those with established automation systems.
“We’re thrilled to have Bret join the team,” said Dave Finley, managing partner of Sverica Capital. “Rob and Matt have created an amazing technology, and Bret’s the perfect person to help bring this capability to American manufacturers at the perfect time to support our manufacturing renaissance. The company will grow as manufacturing surges.”
Source: Hirebotics
About Hirebotics
Hirebotics, founded in 2015 and based in Nashville, TN, develops collaborative robotic systems for metal fabrication, serving manufacturing, aerospace, and defense sectors. The company offers products such as the Cobot Welder and Cobot Cutter, which are integrated with its proprietary Beacon platform. This mobile app-based interface allows users to program and operate robots with minimal training, addressing labor shortages and improving operational efficiency in welding and plasma cutting tasks. Hirebotics focuses on making robotic automation accessible to small and mid-sized companies that may lack in-house robotics expertise. Its systems are designed for deployment and user-friendly integration on the shop floor. As of 2024, Hirebotics employs around 20 people and reports an estimated annual revenue of $3.6 million. The company supports automation by simplifying robot use in high-mix, low-volume production.