Global Robotics Market Set to Accelerate: 2021 Forecasts a 13% Surge

Milton Guerry, president of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) based in Frankfurt, reflected on the 2020 “robotics wave” during the association’s virtual forum, noting that the pandemic’s low points occurred at staggered times across regions.

“Order intake and production in China’s manufacturing sector surged in Q2 2020,” Guerry explained. “The North American economy began to recover in the latter half of the year, with Europe following suit shortly thereafter.”

By the end of 2020, IFR reported that 3 million industrial robots were in operation worldwide—a 10 % rise from the previous year. Global robot sales grew modestly by 0.5 %, with 384 000 units shipped, driven largely by robust demand in China. IFR highlighted 2020 as the third most successful year in robotics history, trailing only 2018 and 2017.

The 2018 peak represented a watershed for global robotics investment, after which the market contracted in 2019 and flattened in 2020. From 2013 through 2018, the industry enjoyed six consecutive years of growth, culminating in a 165 % expansion relative to 2012.

Looking ahead, IFR projects a 13 % jump in global robot installations for 2021, reaching 435 000 units and surpassing the 2018 record. North America is expected to grow by 17 % to nearly 43 000 units, Europe by 8 % to about 73 000 units, and Asia by 15 % to over 300 000 units. Southeast Asian markets, in particular, are projected to experience double‑digit growth.

In a historic shift, IFR announced that 2021’s electrical/electronics sector installations (109 000 units, up 23 %) outpaced the automotive sector, which fell 22 %. Plastics and chemicals grew 10 % to 20 000 units. Collaborative robots—cobots—took installations from 11 000 in 2017 to 22 000 in 2020, representing 5.7 % of total deployments.

The U.S. Perspective

U.S. robot installations dipped 8 % in 2020, marking the second consecutive year of decline after eight years of growth. The United States accounts for 79 % of North American installations, followed by Mexico (9 %) and Canada (7 %). The slowdown is largely tied to the automotive sector, where installations fell 19 % to 10 494 units. In contrast, electrical/electronics installations rose 7 % to 3 710 units. IFR forecasts a 17 % rise in 2021, with a post‑crisis boom expected to sustain low‑double‑digit growth into 2022 and beyond.

European Contraction

Europe also saw an 8 % drop in industrial robot installations, falling to 67 700 units in 2020—the second consecutive year of contraction after the 2018 high of 75 560 units. Automotive demand fell 20 %, while general industry grew 14 %. Germany dominated the region with a 33 % share of installations, followed by Italy (13 %) and France (8 %).

Asia Ascendant

Asia accounted for 71 % of new robot deployments in 2020, up from 67 % in 2019. China’s installations rose 20 % to 168 400 units—the highest single‑country figure on record—and its fleet of operating robots reached 943 223 units, a 21 % increase. IFR projects the 1 million‑unit milestone to be surpassed in 2021. Japan, meanwhile, experienced a 23 % decline to 38 653 units, marking its second straight year of contraction after a 2018 peak of 55 240 units.

Asian nations made up half of the top 10 markets for robotics installations in 2020.
Photo Credit: International Federation of Robotics