Shiseido has introduced a pilot program to deploy humanoid robots on the make-up assembly lines at its Kakegawa factory – a cosmetics first, according to the Japanese manufacturer.

One human worker will work with two robots to produce a finished make-up product, with the human focused on quality control and the robot taking on tasks that cannot be automated with conventional machines.

Shiseido aims to further develop and evolve this initiative to realize effective manufacturing and reduce the work-load of on-site workers. Deploying robots is hoped to address the problem of Japan’s shrinking workforce as well as solve the particular issue of new manufacturing systems that manage high-mix, low-volume production to meet diverse customer needs.