AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS
An eye on growth
Marina Bill , President of the IFR , highlighted the importance of the automotive sector to the growth of industrial robotics .
“ The automotive industry reclaimed its position as the largest customer of industrial robots , despite a sideways movement , and installed 25 % of the robots in 2023 . At the same time , the electrical / electronics industry dropped to second place , as robot installations declined by 20 % to 126 thousand units ,” she confirmed .
“ India , as one of the fastest growing emerging Asian economies , made a big leap . Robot installations increased by 59 % to 8.5 thousand units , a new high , propelling the country to the seventh largest market in the world ( up from 11th ). Demand was driven by the automotive industry that more than doubled its installations within one year . Europe was the only region with an increase in installations : up 9 % to 92 thousand units , driven by a strong backlog and nearshoring projects ,” she continued .
Meeting global challenges
“ The OECD expects global growth to stabilise . However , geopolitical headwinds are still perceived as a major risk and uncertainty factor . Recent crises have raised political awareness of domestic production capacity in strategic industries . Automation allows manufacturers to locate production in developed economies without sacrificing cost efficiency ,” highlighted the IFR .
“ By 2024 , the global economic downturn will have bottomed out . Global robot installations are expected to level off at 541,000 units . Growth is expected to accelerate in 2025 and continue in 2026 and 2027 . There are no signs that the overall long-term growth trend will end in the near future ,” it continued .
One of the most pressing issues faced by manufacturers globally is the shortage of skilled labour . Industries across various sectors are struggling to fill positions , and this gap continues to widen .
“ Robotisation presents a viable and necessary solution to this problem , enhancing productivity , efficiency and safety in workplaces . By integrating robotics into more areas of operation , we can mitigate the impact of labour shortages and ensure sustained economic growth and stability ,” concluded Marina Bill , President of the International Federation of Robotics .
The International Federation of Robotics ( IFR ) was established as a non-profit organisation in 1987 . It directly represents over 90 members from more than 20 countries . n
https :// ifr . org /
Global robotic trends
The IFR will present further details of the ‘ World Robotics Report ’ and discuss global robotic market dynamics and trends ( with a special focus on the impact on Europe ) during the IFR Executive Roundtable at Robotheart at BiMu ( Milan ,
Italy ) on 11 October 2024 . On 10 October 2024 , the Robot Suppliers ’ Committee meeting will focus on global robotics trends for 2025 , preparing IFR ’ s annual outlook to be published at the beginning of next year .
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