The latest World Robotics report for 2023 showed just how much the use of automation in industry has risen over the last few years. There were 541,302 new units added, taking the total number of industrial robots currently operating in factories all over the world to more than 4.28 million.
Robots in Industry
With a 10% increase over last year, the total global operational stock of industrial robots in 2023 rang in at 4,281,585. This was the third consecutive year that new installations exceeded half a million.
In 2013, the number of robots being used in various industrial applications was 1.33 million. The giant leap to over four million gives us a sneak peak into what the future of industry will be like… and it’s looking robotic.
Asia
Of the industry robots installed in 2023, a whopping 70% were in Asia. With 276,288 new units, China was responsible for 51% of the world’s installations. Japan, despite seeing a 9% drop in installations from the previous year, is still the second-largest industrial robot market in the world.
With a 59% increase from last year, India had 8,510 robots installed, 3,551 of which were in the automotive sector. South Korea installed 31,444 industrial robots, a 1% drop from 2022.
Europe
Robot installations in Europe reached 92,393 units, accounting for 17% of the global total, and a 9% increase year-over-year.
Spain, Slovakia, and Hungary showed the most growth, while Italy and France saw some declines in robot installations. Germany, however, is still reigning supreme as the largest market in Europe, followed by Italy and France—both of which had fewer installations than a year earlier.
The Americas
On home turf, 10% of global installations were recorded, of which, 68% were in the United States. The U.S. is now the proud owner of over 55,389 new industrial robot units.
Canada’s installations grew by 37% to over 4,300 units which were installed mainly in the country’s automotive sector. Mexico also attributes most of the 5,832 installations in 2023 to its auto industry.
Image Credit: Shutterstock/IM Imagery
