Robotic use grows by 10%

The new World Robotics report from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) recorded 4,281,585 units operating in factories worldwide - an increase of 10%. Annual installations exceeded half a million units for the third consecutive year. By region, 70% of all newly deployed robots 2023 were installed in Asia, 17% in Europe and 10% in the Americas.

“The new World Robotics statistics show an all-time high in the number of industrial robots automating production around the world,” says Marina Bill, IFR President. “The annual installation figure of 541,302 units in 2023 is the second highest in history. It is only 2% lower than the record of 552,946 units installed in 2022.”

Global overview

China is by far the world´s largest market, IFR concluded. The 276,288 industrial robots installed in 2023 represent 51% of the global installations. This result is the second-highest level ever recorded (2022: 290,144 units). The share of Chinese manufacturers in the domestic market has grown considerably since 2022, reaching 47% in 2023. It has fluctuated around 28% over the past decade. The operational stock was just shy of the 1.8-million-unit mark in 2023, making China the first and only country in the world with such a large robot stock. Demand for robots is expected to accelerate in the second half of 2024, contributing to a more stable market by the end of the year. In the longer term, there is still a lot of growth potential in Chinese manufacturing, with the potential for 5-10% average annual growth until 2027.

Japan remained the second largest global market for industrial robots, behind China. Robot installations reached 46,106 units in 2023 - down 9%. This followed two strong years, peaking at 50,435 units in 2022 - the second-best result after 2018 (55,240 units). Demand for robots will remain stagnant in 2024 but recover in 2025 and the following years to medium and upper single-digit rates.

The market in the Republic of Korea is trending sideways: Installations reached 31,444 units in 2023 - down 1% year-on-year. The country was the fourth largest robot market in the world in terms of annual installations after the United States, Japan, and China.

India is one of the fastest-growing emerging Asian economies. Robot installations increased by 59% to 8,510 units in 2023, a new high. Demand from the automotive industry soared to 3,551 units—an increase of 139%. Both car manufacturers and suppliers contributed to this development.

Visit MMH.com to read the full story and breakdown of robots used by continent.

SC
MR