Over half a million new industrial robots will be installed by 2021, figures from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) show. This is a new record.
In its World Robotics report, the IFR reports data the amount of industrial robots has grown by 31% year-on-year. It breaks the record set before the 2018 COVID-19 pandemic by 22%. A total of about 3.5 million industrial robots are in use worldwide.
"The use of robotics and automation is growing at breathtaking speed," says Marina Bill, president of the International Federation of Robotics. "Within six years, annual robot installations more than doubled. According to our latest statistics, installations grew strongly in 2021 in all major customer sectors, although supply chain disruptions and various local or regional headwinds hampered production."
Asia is largest sales market
As in previous years, Asia the largest market for industrial robots. 74% of all newly commissioned robots in 2021 will be installed in Asia. This is up from last year, when the figure was 70%.
China is the largest consumer of industrial robots within Asia. The number of newly installed units in China is up 51% from a year earlier. It totals 268,195 units. With this, half of all robots worldwide will be rolled out in China by 2021. In total, China now has more than one million robots, representing a 27% increase.
Japan
Japan ranks second. The number of industrial robot installations increased by 22% in 2021 or 47,182 units in absolute numbers. This increases the total number of industrial robots in use in Japan by 5% to 393,326 units. Whereas the number of industrial robots in Japan actually decreased for two years in a row, the number increased again in 2021.
Japan has also traditionally been a major player when looking at the production and supply of industrial robots. In 2021, exports of robots reached a new record with 186,102 units exported.
US ranks third
After China and Japan, the United States (US) is the largest market for industrial robots. The number of installed units has increased by 14% to 34,987 units in 2021. With this, the market exceeds pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, but is still smaller that the peak of 40,373 units in 2018. The US automotive sector is the largest consumer of industrial robots with 9,782 units installed in 2021. However, demand has been steadily declining for five years. In 2021, demand from the automotive sector shrank 7% compared to 2020.
Installations in the US metals and machinery sector actually rose sharply. They are up 66% to 3,814 units in 2021. The plastics and chemicals sector follows with 3,466 robots (+30%) and the food and beverage sector with a 25% increase.
South Korea
South Korea ranks fourth in terms of the number of newly installed industrial robots. The number of installations rose 2% to 31,083. With this, the market recorded growth for the first time after four consecutive years of contraction. The total number of industrial robots in use in South Korea stands at 366,227 units.
Germany is largest European market
Germany is the largest European market; the German market accounts for 28% of all installations in Europe. Italy follows with 17% and France with 7%. The number of installed units in Germany increased by 6% to 23,777 units in 2021. This is the second highest number ever recorded. The IFR attributes this spike to extensive investment from the automotive sector in 2018, where 26,723 units were commissioned. A total of 245,908 industrial robots were in use in 2021, up 7% from 2020.
The supply of industrial robots from Germany has also grown. Exports rose 41% to 22,870 units. With this, exports in 2021 exceed pre-COVID-19 pandemic figures.
Substantial growth in Italy
Italy is the second-largest market in Europe. The usage growth here is fastest in the Italian manufacturing industry at 8%. A total of some 89,330 industrial robots were in use in 2021, up 14% from a year earlier. According to the IFR, the 2021 figures were boosted by, among other things, deferred purchases and early purchases in view of tax breaks that will no longer be available in 2022. As a result, the number of newly installed robots rose 65% to 14,083 units in 2021.
France is Europe's third largest market, both in terms of annual installations and total amount of robots in use. The number of newly installed robots increased by 11% to 5,945 units. The total number of industrial robots in use within France comes to 49,312 units. This is an increase of 10% is from a year earlier.
Shrinkage in the UK
The UK, unlike other European markets, is actually showing contraction. The number of installations fell by 7% to 2,054 units. The total number of units installed comes to 24,445 units in 2021, up 6%. The automotive sector took 42% fewer industrial robots in 2021 (507 units).
Outlook
The global economy is under pressure due to a combination of rising energy prices, higher product prices and chip shortages. The IFR points out that despite this, order books are full and demand for industrial robots has never been higher. The global number of industrial robot installations is expected to grow by 10% to nearly 570,000 units by 2022. The peak visible after the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to disappear this year. For the period 2022 to 2025, the IFR predicts medium to high single-digit growth rates.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Photo: Pixabay / Antonio Hernández
