Annual installations of business robots worldwide. | Supply: IFR
The Worldwide Federation of Robotics (IFR) in the present day launched its World Robotics 2025 Report that confirmed 542,000 industrial robots had been put in worldwide in 2024. That is greater than double the quantity put in 10 years in the past, the IFR famous.
Annual installations topped 500,000 items for the fourth straight yr. Asia accounted for 74% of latest deployments in 2024, in contrast with 16% in Europe and 9% within the Americas.
“The brand new World Robotics statistics present 2024 the second-highest annual set up rely of business robots in historical past – solely 2% decrease than the all-time excessive two years in the past,” mentioned IFR president Takayuki Ito. “The transition of many industries into the digital and automatic age has been marked by an enormous surge in demand. The whole variety of industrial robots in operational use worldwide was 4,664,000 items in 2024 – a rise of 9% in comparison with the earlier yr.”
China is world’s strongest robotics market
China’s annual installations of business robots from 2014-2024. | Supply: IFR
China is by far the world’s largest robotics market in 2024, the IFR mentioned. It represents 54% of world deployments. The newest figures present that 295,000 industrial robots have been put in within the nation, the best annual whole on file, in response to the IFR’s numbers.
Notably, for the primary time, Chinese language producers have offered greater than international suppliers of their dwelling nation. Their home market share climbed to 57% final yr, up from about 28% over the previous decade. China’s operational robotic inventory exceeded the two million mark in 2024, the most important of any nation.
Moreover, as robotics in China is opening up new markets, there isn’t any indication that robotic demand in China will lower. There may be nonetheless a variety of potential in Chinese language manufacturing for 10% development on common annually till 2028, the IFR mentioned.
Outdoors of China, Asian nations nonetheless lead in robotics
India has seen a big improve in robotic installations lately. | Supply: IFR
Japan maintained its place because the second-largest marketplace for industrial robots, with 44,500 items put in in 2024. This represents a slight 4% lower from 2023. The nation’s operational inventory rose by 3%, with 450,500 items now in use.
Demand for robots will develop barely by decrease single-digit charges in 2025. It should then speed up to a medium single-digit charge on common within the subsequent few years, the IFR mentioned.
The market within the Republic of Korea put in 30,600 items in 2024, down 3%. Annual installations had been trending sideways of round 31,000 items since 2019. The nation is the fourth largest robotic market on the planet when it comes to annual installations in 2024, after the US, Japan, and China.
India continues to develop with a file of 9,100 items put in in 2024 – up 7%. The automotive business was the strongest driver with a market share of 45%. When it comes to annual installations, India ranks sixth worldwide, one place up behind Germany.
Industrial robotic installations fall barely in Europe
The IFR mentioned it doesn’t count on the EU’s automotive business to drive development for robotics in 2025. | Supply: IFR
Industrial robotic installations in Europe fell 8% to 85,000 items in 2024, nonetheless the second largest quantity recorded in historical past. 80%, 67,800 items, of all European robotic installations befell within the European Union. Robotic demand in Europe benefited from the nearshoring development. The annual common development charge from 2019 to 2024 was plus 3%.
Germany is the most important robotic market in Europe and the fifth-largest on the planet. Installations fell 5% to 26,982 items in 2024, which is the second-best consequence recorded after the file yr of 2023. This represents a 32% market share of the annual whole in Europe.
The variety of installations in Italy, the second largest European market, fell by 16% to eight,783 items. Spain is now in third place (5,100 items), with a powerful demand from the automotive business. France (4,900 items) moved all the way down to fourth place, with a 24% lower.
Within the UK, industrial robotic installations had been down 35% to 2,500 items in 2024. The file variety of 3,800 items in 2023 was a one-off peak, pushed by the “super-deduction” tax credit score program, which ended after the primary quarter of 2023. Set up counts moved sideways with some cyclicity over the previous decade. Robotic installations within the UK rank nineteenth worldwide in 2024.
U.S. stays largest market within the Americas
China has 5 occasions extra operational inventory of business robots than the U.S. | Supply: IFR
Robotic installations within the Americas exceeded 50,000 items for the fourth yr in a row: 50,100 items had been put in in 2024, down 10% under the extent reached in 2023. America, the most important regional market, accounted for 68% of installations within the Americas in 2024.
Robotic installations had been down by 9% to 34,200 items. The Affiliation for Advancing Automation (A3) tracks industrial robotic and collaborative robotic (cobot) gross sales in North America. A3 has seen a slight 4.3% improve in robotic orders for the primary half of 2025 in comparison with 2024.
America imports most of its robots from Japan and Europe, with few home suppliers. Nonetheless, there are quite a few home robotic system integrators implementing robotic automation options, the IFR mentioned.
Whole installations in Mexico reached 5,600 items in 2024, a lower of 4%. The automotive business remained the important thing buyer of business robots in Mexico, accounting for 63% of the installations in 2024. In Canada, robotic installations declined by 12% to three,800 items. Set up figures in Canada largely depend upon automotive funding cycles. The share of the automobile business was 47% in 2024.
Robotic gross sales will stay constructive in long run, IFR mentioned
Whereas the IFR predicts slower development within the coming years, its general outlook on the robotics business is constructive. | Supply: IFR
The OECD and the IMF count on international development in a spread of two.9% to three.0% in 2025 and a couple of.9% and three.1% in 2026. Nonetheless, geopolitical tensions, violent conflicts in Japanese Europe and the Center East, and commerce disruptions are exerting their unfavorable affect on the worldwide financial system.
The robotics business is just not resistant to international macroeconomic circumstances, the IFR famous, however there isn’t any indication that the general long-term development development will come to an finish any time quickly. Whereas regional traits fluctuate considerably, the mixture international trajectory stays constructive.
Globally, robotic installations are anticipated to develop by 6% to 575,000 items in 2025. By 2028, the 700,000-unit mark shall be surpassed.
Find out about China’s robotics increase at RoboBusiness
RoboBusiness 2025, which takes place Oct. 15 and 16 in Santa Clara, Calif., will function displays about China’s robotics increase and the way the U.S. can compete within the coming years. Day 2 will embrace a keynote panel, “Closing the Robotics Hole with China,” with insights from:
- Jeff Burnstein, the president of A3
- George Stieler, the pinnacle of robotics and automation at Stieler Know-how & Market Advisory
- Eric Truebenbach, the managing director at Teradyne Ventures
In the course of the session, the consultants will focus on how international gamers can foster innovation ecosystems, strengthen provide chains, and speed up commercialization to compete on the world stage. Moreover, Stieler will current in a session on the “International Implications of China’s Robotics Push.”
RoboBusiness, the premier occasion for builders and suppliers of business robots, shall be on Oct. 15-16 in Santa Clara, Calif. The occasion will function tracks on enabling applied sciences, humanoids (new), enterprise, design and improvement, and subject robotics, in addition to the Bodily AI Discussion board.
This yr’s convention will even embrace greater than 60 audio system, a startup workshop, the annual Pitchfire competitors, and quite a few networking alternatives. Over 100 exhibitors on the present flooring will showcase their newest enabling applied sciences, merchandise, and providers to assist clear up your robotics improvement challenges. Registration is now open.
