Sales of new industrial robots remain high with 373,000 units shipped globally in 2019. This is 12% less than in 2018, but still the 3rd highest sales ever recorded. 
 

 Evaluation of the use of Industrial Robots in 2020  

“The number of industrial robots operating in factories around the world today marks an all-time high,” said Milton Guerry, President of the International Federation of Robotics. “Driven by the success story of smart manufacturing and automation, this is a worldwide increase of around 85% within 5 years (2014-2019). The recent 12% sales slowdown reflects the tough period experienced of the two main customer sectors, namely; automotive and electrical/electronics.

“In addition, the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global economy cannot yet be fully assessed,” Milton Guerry conducted. “The remaining months of 2020 will be shaped by adapting to the “new normal”. Suppliers of industrial robots adapt to the needs of new applications and evolving solutions.

A big stimulus from large-scale orders is unlikely this year. China may be an exception, because Covid-19 was first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019 and the country started to recover in the second quarter. Other economies report being at a turning point right now. But it will take several months until this translates into automation projects and demand for robots and robotic arms. 2021 will see a recovery, but it could take until 2022 or 2023 to reach pre-crisis levels”.
 

 Market Overview of Industrial Robots in Asia  

Asia remains the strongest market for industrial robots. The largest user-operating supply in the region is China, increasing by 21% and reaching around 783,000 units in 2019. The second is Japan with around 355,000 pcs – increasing by 12%. Runner-up is India with a new record of around 26,300 – increasing by 15%. Within five years, India has doubled the number of industrial robots operating in its factories.

The market share of newly installed robots in Asia accounts for about two-thirds of the global supply. Sales of nearly 140,500 new robots in China are lower than the records of 2018 and 2017 but still more than double the number sold five years ago (2014: 57,000 units). Install rates in top Asian markets slowed down - in China (decreasing by 9%) and Japan (decreasing by 10%).

In China, 71% of new robots are shipped from foreign suppliers. Chinese manufacturers still mainly cater to the domestic market, where they capture a growing market share. Foreign suppliers supply about 29% of their units to the auto industry, while that is only about 12% for Chinese suppliers. As a result, foreign suppliers are more affected by the business slowdown in the Chinese auto industry than domestic suppliers.
 

 Global trend of human-robot collaboration - collaborative robots  

The adoption of human-robot collaboration is growing. We saw an 11% increase in cobot installs. This dynamic sales performance contrasts with the general trend of traditional industrial robots in 2019. As more and more suppliers offer collaborative robots and the range of applications is increasing, the market share reaches 4, 8% of total 373,000 industrial robots installed in 2019. Although this market is growing rapidly, it is still in its infancy.
 

 Summary 

Globally, COVID-19 has a strong impact in 2020 - but also brings an opportunity to modernize and digitize recovering manufacturing. In the long run, the benefits of increasing robot installations remain constant: Rapid manufacturing and offering customized products at competitive prices are key drivers. Automation allows manufacturers to keep production running in advanced economies - or keep operating - without sacrificing cost efficiency. The range of industrial robots continues to expand - from traditional cage robots capable of handling all loads quickly and accurately to new collaborative robots that safely operate alongside humans, fully integrated into desks. 

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