?BMWAG

IndustrialRobots

IFR

World

2022

Statistics,MarketAnalysis,ForecastsandCaseStudies

WorldRobotics2022–IndustrialRobots

ProducedbyVDMAServicesGmbH,LyonerStr.18,60528Frankfurt,Germany.

TherobotstatisticsarebasedonconsolidatedworlddatareportedbyrobotsuppliersaswellasonthestatisticsandsupportofthenationalroboticsassociationsofNorthAmerica(A3),Spain(AER),People’sRepublicofChina(CRIA),Japan(JARA),RepublicofKorea(KAR),Italy(SIRI),Sweden(SWIRA),andChineseTaipei(TAIROA).

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Assistinginstatisticsevaluation,textandchartsprocessing:NinaKutzbach,IFR

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Suggestedcitation:Müller,Christopher:WorldRobotics2022–IndustrialRobots,IFRStatisticalDepartment,VDMAServicesGmbH,FrankfurtamMain,Germany,2022.

Shortcitation:WorldRobotics2022–IndustrialRobots

Nopartofthispublicationmay,forsalespurposes,bereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystemortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,electrostatic,magnetictape,mechanical,photocopyingorotherwise,withoutpriorpermissioninwritingfromVDMAServicesGmbH(contactviaIFRStatisticalDepartment).

ISBN978-3-8163-0752-5

12ExecutiveSummaryWorldRobotics2022IndustrialRobots

ExecutiveSummaryWorldRobotics2022IndustrialRobots

Robotinstallations2021:Robotinstallationssurging-Covid-19pandemicasadigitalizationbooster

Inthesecondpandemicyear,robotinstallationsskyrocketedtoanewrecordlevelof517,385units.Thisrepresentedagrowthrateof31%over2020andexceededthepreviousrecordlevelof423,321unitsachievedin2018by22%.Installationsgrewstronglyinallmajorcustomerindustries,althoughsupplychaindisruptionsandthescarcityofinputsaswellasdifferentlocalorregionalheadwindshamperedproduction.Theelectronicsindustrysurpassedtheautomotiveindustryintermsofannualrobotinstallationsin2020andheldontothispositionin2021,installing26%ofallrobotsinstalledthatyear(-1pp).Theautomotiveindustryfollowedwith23%ofinstallations(+2pp),mainlydrivenbythepartssuppliersegment.Themetalandmachineryindustryretaineditsthirdplace(12%;+1pp)justaheadoftheplasticandchemicalproductsindustry(5%)andthefoodandbeverageindustry(3%).Notethatfor20%oftherobotinstallations(-2pp)thereisnoinformationonthecustomerindustry.

In2021,theoperationalstockofindustrialrobotswascomputedat3,477,127units(+15%).Since2016,theoperationalstockofindustrialrobotshadbeenincreasingby14%onaverageeachyear.China’soperationalstockofindustrialrobotshadbeengrowingimpressivelyby28%onaverageeachyearandexceededtheone-million-unitmarkin2021withatotalof1,224,236units(+27%).TheJapaneseoperationalstockincreasedby5%to393,326unitsin2021.TheEuropeanoperationalstockofrobotswascomputedat678,706unitsandtheAmericasheldastockof451,400units(+10%).

Annualinstallationsofindustrialrobots

('000ofunits)

381

280

284

277

259

200

161

134

89

99

85

46

33

50

38

56

41

67

46

76

55

74

47

84

68

51

39

44

26

41

28

43

30

201120122013

20142015201620172018201920202021

Asia/AustraliaEuropeTheAmericasSource.WorldRobotics2022

ExecutiveSummaryWorldRobotics2022IndustrialRobots13

Growthinallmajormarketsandregions

Asia

1

istheworld’slargestindustrialrobotmarket.In2021,380,911unitswereinstalled,up38%from276,651unitsin2020.74%ofallnewlydeployedrobotswereinstalledinAsia(2020:70%).From2016to2021,annualrobotinstallationsgrewby14%onaverageeachyear.ThreeofthetopfivemarketsforindustrialrobotsareinAsia:Chinaisbyfarthelargestmarket.Everyotherrobotgloballyinstalledin2021endedupinChina:Installationssurgedby51%to268,195units.InstallationsinJapanwereup22%to47,182units.TheKoreanmarket,incontrast,remainedrathersteadyat31,083units(+2%).Robotinstallationsinthesecondlargestmarket,Europe,wereup24%to84,302units.Theannualaveragegrowthratefrom2016to2021was+8%.InstallationcountsinGermany,thelargestEuropeanmarketandtheonlyEuropeanoneintheglobaltopfive,gained6%to23,777units.Incontrast,installationsinthesecondlargestEuropeanmarket,Italy,skyrocketedby65%to14,083units.ThethirdlargestEuropeanmarket,France,gained11%,installing5,945units.IntheAmericas,installationssurgedby31%to50,712unitsin2021.TheUnitedStatesisthelargestAmericanmarketandaccountedfor68%oftheinstallationsintheAmericas(34,987units;+14%)in2020.ThetwoothermajormarketsarealsoinNorthAmericaandgrewsubstantially:Mexicohad5,401units(+61%)andCanada4,257units(+66%)installed.

78%ofglobalrobotinstallationsinfivecountries

ThefivemajormarketsforindustrialrobotsareChina,Japan,theUnitedStates,theRepublicofKorea,andGermany.Thesecountriesaccountedfor78%ofglobalrobotinstallations.

Chinahasbeentheworld’slargestindustrialrobotmarketsince2013andaccountedfor52%oftotalinstallationsin2021.Formoredetails,seechapter3.3.1.

RobotinstallationsinJapanrecoveredfromadownswingin2019andthepandemicdipin2020asinstallationsreturnedtothe2017level.Installationswereremarkablyhighin2017,2018,and2019foracountrywhichalreadyhadahighlevelofautomationinindustrialproduction.Thecountryaccountedfor9%oftheglobalrobotinstallationsin2021.Formoredetails,seechapter3.3.4.

TheUnitedStatesaccountedfor7%ofrobotinstallationsin2021.TheUnitedStatesleapfroggedtheRepublicofKoreaintothirdplacewitharecordinstallationcountof40,373unitsin2018andhassincemaintainedthisposition.Formoredetails,seechapter3.2.1.

IntheRepublicofKorea,annualrobotinstallationshadbeendecliningsincereachingapeaklevelof41,373unitsin2016.In2021,installationsinKoreaaccountedfor6%oftheoveralltotal.Formoredetails,seechapter3.3.5.

1IncludingAustraliaandNewZealand.

14ExecutiveSummaryWorldRobotics2022IndustrialRobots

Germanyisthefifthlargestrobotmarketintheworld,accountingfor5%oftheglobalrobotinstallationsin2021.Formoredetails,seechapter3.4.12.

Otherimportantmarkets

ChineseTaipeirankedsixthintermsofannualrobotinstallationsfrom2014to2018beforedroppingtoeighthin2019.In2020and2021,thismarketrankedseventhworldwideandfourthinAsia,accountingfor2%oftheglobalinstallations,or9,644units(+31%),in2021.InstallationsinIndiasurgedby54%to4,945unitsin2021andthoseinThailandgained36%to3,914units.RobotinstallationsinSingaporedependtoalargeextentontheelectronicsindustry,whichcutitsinstallationsin2021substantially,followingapeaklevelin2020,whenthecountryinstalledalmostfourtimesasmanyrobotsasinthepreviousyear.ThissmallcountrywastheseventhlargestAsianrobotmarketin2021with3,467units(-35%)installed.OtherAsianmarketswithmorethan1,000industrialrobotsinstalledin2021wereVietnam(2,372units;+17%)andMalaysia(1,929units;+37%).Formoredetails,seechapter3.3.

SpainisthefourteenthlargestrobotmarketintheworldandthefourthinEurope.Installationsremainedsteadyat3,423units(+1%)in2021.InstallationsintheNordiccountriessawa31%increaseto3,472unitsandthoseinCentralandEasternEuropesurgedby47%to12,210units.Formoredetails,seechapter3.4.

RobotinstallationsinBrazilwereup7%to1,702units.Comparedto2016,thisimpliesanaverageannualgrowthrateof+7%(CAGR).

Annualinstallationsofindustrialrobotsbycustomerindustry-World

1,000units

Electrical/electronics

Automotive

Metalandmachinery

Plasticandchemicalproducts

Food

Allothers

Unspecified

110

89

84

102

64

44

52

24

19

18

15

12

11

52

37

30

107

87

87

137

119

202120202019Source:WorldRobotics2022

ExecutiveSummaryWorldRobotics2022IndustrialRobots15

Theelectrical/electronicsindustrybecamethemaincustomerofindustrialrobotsin2020andmaintainedthispositionin2021,when136,670robotswereinstalledintheproductionofhouseholdappliances,electricalmachinery,semiconductors,solarpanels,computers,telecommunicationdevices,andvideoandelectronicentertainmentgoods.Thiswas24%morethanthepreviousyearandthehighestleveleverrecorded.Since2016,robotdemandfromthisindustryhadgrownby8%peryearonaverage.In2018and2019,globaldemandforelectronicdevicesandcomponentsdecreasedsubstantially.ThiscustomerindustrywasamongthemostaffectedbusinessesthatsufferedfromtheChina-UStradeconflict,asAsiancountriesareleadersinthemanufactureofelectronicproductsandcomponents.However,demandforconsumerelectronicsskyrocketedduringtheCovid-19pandemicandelectroniccomponentsarecrucialcomponentsinallkindsofengineering,includingautomotiveandindustrialmachinery.Thelimitedproductioncapacityandthedisruptionsinsupplychainsbecauseofthepandemichavedemonstratedtheneedforadditionalproductioncapacityintheelectronicsindustry.

Theautomotiveindustrylostitspositionasthelargestcustomerofindustrialrobotsin2020.Despiteastronggrowthrateof42%to119,405unitsin2021,thisindustryremainedinsecondplace.TheautomotiveindustryhadbeenthemostimportantcustomerofindustrialrobotssincethefirstevercommerciallysoldunitwasinstalledattheGeneralMotorsplantinNewJerseyin1961.In2017,theelectronicsindustrycameclosebutremained1,500unitsshyoftheautomotiveindustry.In2018,installationsintheelectronicsindustrydeclined,whilethoseintheautomotiveindustryreachedanewpeaklevelof125,581units,buildingagapofmorethan19,000unitstotheelectronicsindustry.Thisgapremainedlarge,some13,000unitsin2019,whenrobotdemandinbothindustriesdeclined.Thepandemicforcedmanyautomotivesuppliersandcarmanufacturerstoceaseproductiontemporarily,asglobalsupplychainsweredisrupted.Upstreamproducts(inputs)wereunavailableandoutputscouldnotbedeliveredbecauseofclosedbordersandotherrestrictions.Theglobalproductionofcarsandcommercialvehiclesdroppedby16%in2020andrecoveredbyjust3%in2021.

2

Therefore,manymajorinvestmentswerestoppedorpostponed.Butevenbeforethepandemic,globalcarandcommercialvehicleproductionhaddeclinedtwoyearsinarow,by5.2%in2019and1.1%in2018.

3

Whiletheautomotiveindustryneedstoinvestinthetransitionfromcombustionenginestoalternativedrives,decreasingdemandlimitstheneedforcapacityexpansion.From2016to2021,annualinstallationsintheautomotiveindustryincreasedby3%onaverageeachyear(CAGR).Theshareoftheautomotiveindustryintotalinstallationsdeclinedcontinuouslyfrom34%in2016to23%in2021.

2OICA:ProductionStatistics2021,2020.

3OICA:ProductionStatistics2019,2018.

16ExecutiveSummaryWorldRobotics2022IndustrialRobots

In2021,theaverage

4

robotdensityinthemanufacturingindustrywas141robotsper10,000employees.Drivenbythehighvolumeofrobotinstallationsinrecentyears,Asia’saveragerobotdensityhadbeengrowingby18%CAGRsince2016to156unitsper10,000employeesin2021.TheEuropeanrobotdensityhadbeengrowingbyjust8%CAGRsince2016andwas129unitsper10,000employeesin2021.IntheAmericas,itwas117robotsper10,000employees(+8%CAGRsince2016).

Outlook2022–2025

Theongoingyear2022ischaracterizedbyadriftapart.Globalrobotinstallationsareexpectedtogrowby10%toalmost570,000unitsin2022.RobotinstallationsaresurginginNorthAmericaandwilllikelyexceedthe50,000-unitmark.GrowthinAsiaisdeterminedbyChina,whereeconomicgrowthiscurrentlydecelerating.Butwiththreeoutofthetopfivemarketsforindustrialrobotsbeingthere,theinstallationofmorethan400,000unitsisexpectedfor2022inAsia.RobotinstallationsinEuropeareexpectedtogrowslowly.ThewarinUkraineandt