ISMR October 2025 | Page 40

AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS

16.14 % during the forecast period( 2025- 2032),” added the analyst.
Global robot demand
The new‘ World Robotics 2025’ statistics on industrial robots showed 542,000 robots installed in 2024, more than double the number 10 years ago. Annual installations topped 500,000 units for the fourth straight year. Asia accounted for 74 % of new deployments in 2024, compared to 16 % in Europe and 9 % in the Americas.
“ The new World Robotics statistics show 2024 as the second highest annual installation count of industrial robots in history, only 2 % lower than the all-time-high two years ago,” said Takayuki Ito, President of the International Federation of Robotics.“ The transition of many industries into the digital and automated age has been marked by a huge surge in demand. The total number of industrial robots in operational use worldwide was 4,664,000 units in 2024, an increase of 9 % compared to the previous year.”
According to the IFR, China is by far the world’ s largest market in 2024, representing 54 % of global deployments.
“ The latest figures show that 295,000
The country is the fourth largest robot market
in the world in terms of annual installations
in 2024, after the United States, Japan and
China,” added the IFR.
India continues to grow with a record of
9,100 units installed in 2024, up 7 %. The
automotive industry was the strongest driver
with a market share of 45 %. According to
the IFR, in terms of annual installations, India
ranks sixth worldwide( one place up behind
Germany).
“ Industrial robot installations in Europe fell
8 % to 85,000 units in 2024, still the second
largest number recorded in history. 80 % of all
European robot installations took place in the
European Union( 67,800 units). Robot demand
in Europe benefited from the nearshoring
trend. The annual average growth rate from
2019 to 2024 was plus 3 %,” confirmed the IFR.
“ Germany is the largest robot market in
Europe and the fifth-largest in the world.
Installations fell 5 % to 26,982 units in 2024,
which is the second-best result recorded after
the record year of 2023. This represents a 32 %
market share of the annual total in Europe.
The number of installations in Italy, the second
largest European market, fell by 16 % to 8,783
units. Spain is now in third place( 5,100 units)
with strong demand from the automotive
industry. France( 4,900 units) moved down to
fourth place, with a 24 % decrease. In the UK,
industrial robot installations were down 35 %
to 2,500 units in 2024.
Robot installations in
the UK ranked 19th
worldwide in 2024,” it
added.
industrial robots have been installed, the highest annual total on record. For the first time, Chinese manufacturers have sold more than overseas suppliers in their home country. Their domestic market share climbed to 57 % last year, up from about 28 % over the past decade. China’ s operational robot stock exceeded the two-million mark in 2024, the largest
Takayuki Ito, President of the
International Federation of Robotics.
Robot installations in the Americas exceeded 50,000 units for the fourth year in a row: 50,100 units were installed in 2024, down 10 % below the level reached 2023.
The United States, the largest regional
of any country. As robotics in China is opening new markets, there is no indication that robot demand in China will decrease. There is still a lot of potential in Chinese manufacturing for 10 % growth on average each year until 2028,” confirmed the IFR.
“ Japan maintained its position as the second-largest market for industrial robots, with 44,500 units installed in 2024( a slight 4 % decrease). The country’ s operational stock rose by 3 %, with 450,500 units now in use. Demand for robots will grow slightly by lower single-digit rates in 2025. It will then accelerate to a medium single-digit rate on average in the next few years,” continued the association.“ The market in the Republic of Korea installed 30,600 units in 2024 – down 3 %. Annual installations had been trending sideways of around 31,000 units since 2019.
market, accounted for 68 % of installations in the Americas in 2024. Robot installations were down by 9 % to 34,200 units.
“ The United States imports most of its robots from Japan and Europe, with few domestic suppliers. However, there are numerous domestic robot system integrators implementing robotic automation solutions,” clarified the IFR.
“ Total installations in Mexico reached 5,600 units in 2024, a decrease of 4 %. The automotive industry remained the key customer of industrial robots in Mexico, accounting for 63 % of the installations in 2024. In Canada, robot installations declined by 12 % to 3,800 units. Installation figures in Canada largely depend upon automotive investment cycles. The share of the car industry was 47 % in 2024,” it concluded.
Image: IFR.
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