Adoption of robotics has continued to extend yr over yr. Supply: Worldwide Federation of Robotics
The worldwide operational inventory of commercial robots elevated 9% to a report 5 million items in 2025, in keeping with the Worldwide Federation of Robotics, or IFR. That improve was resulting from an 11% leap in annual installations, reported the group, as factories worldwide put in greater than 600,000 new items final yr.
“Industrial automation is progressing at excessive velocity,” said Jane Heffner, president of the IFR. “The brand new mark of 5 million robots operational in factories worldwide is greater than double the quantity seven years in the past. The strongest progress is going down in Asia, adopted by Americas. Europe is shifting forward extra slowly.”
“It’s a superb time be constructing robots,” mentioned Jon Fast, CEO of Launchpad Construct AI. “Capabilities are growing exponentially, whereas prices are coming down. Everyone seems to be awake and attuned to the probabilities, seeking to do one thing.”
Asia stays the robotics chief
China has additional strengthened its place because the world chief in robotic adoption, mentioned the IFR. Annual installations grew by 20% yr over yr and now account for 59% of world deployments, it mentioned. The Frankfurt, Germany-based group discovered that 354,000 industrial robots have been put in in 2025, exceeding the earlier yr’s complete by virtually 60,000 items.
Chinese language producers have offered greater than overseas suppliers of their dwelling nation. Their installations rose by 15%, reaching 195,000 items – a home market share of 55% in 2025 in contrast with 57% in 2024.
“China’s dominance in robotic installations – whereas undoubtedly spectacular – received’t be sufficient alone to resolve its export challenges or enhance its home consumption ranges,” noticed Fast. “Seen from one other perspective, the truth is, this image presents enormous potential alternatives to producers in different elements of the world.”
Japan is the second largest marketplace for industrial robots in Asia, with 36,219 items put in in 2025 – a 19% lower. Japan’s market moved down from second to 3rd place within the international market, behind the U.S. “Demand for robots is predicted to develop barely, however a significant restoration is unlikely within the brief to medium time period,” mentioned the IFR.
The market within the Republic of Korea put in 30,000 items in 2025 – down 1%. Annual installations had been trending sideways of round 31,000 items since 2019, famous the IFR.
The nation remained the fourth largest market worldwide. New investments from the automotive trade will come into impact in 2027 and 2028, the IFR predicted. Demand for robots in South Korea would possibly break the established pattern and develop in 2027, it mentioned.
India put in virtually 10,500 items in 2025 – up 15%, claiming sixth place worldwide, behind Germany. Though the amount of latest installations continues to be comparatively low in contrast with the highest 5 established robot-adopting international locations, annual installations in India grew by 27% on common per yr (CAGR) from 2020 to 2025.
China accounts for 59% of world industrial robotic deployments. Supply: IFR
Americas expertise trade progress
The U.S. surpassed Japan in 2025 to develop into the second largest marketplace for industrial robots, following China. Installations of those robots grew by 12% to virtually 38,500 items, which the IFR mentioned is the third-highest quantity it has recorded.
In Mexico, robotic installations declined by 7% to fewer than 5,200 items. This marks the third yr of decline, famous the IFR.
In Canada, robotic installations have been up 5% to virtually 4,000 items. The common annual progress charge from 2020 to 2025 was 9% CAGR.
The Brazilian robotics market put in virtually 4,300 new robots in 2025, up 38%. This was pushed by a surge in demand for robots from the automotive trade, which put in virtually 2,100 items, a 212% improve. The IFR attributed the expansion to investments by Chinese language automobile producers in Brazil.
The U.S. is now the second largest robotic market on the earth. Supply: IFR
Europe has a modest improve in robotic installations
Germany is the fifth largest robotic market on the earth, and by far the most important in Europe, in keeping with the IFR. In 2025, it had a 41% share of the overall installations within the European Union.
Between 2020 and 2025, annual installations throughout industries grew by 2% on common per yr (CAGR). Nevertheless, gross sales fell 8% to fewer than 25,000 items in 2025. The automotive trade is the most important consumer of commercial robots in Germany, however its share is declining, the IFR mentioned.
The variety of installations in Italy, the second largest European market, fell by 11% to about 7,800 items. France is again in third place with virtually 4,500 items regardless of an 8% decline, placing it forward of Spain with about 4,300 items, down 15%.
Germany has a big automation lead within the EU. Supply: IFR
The IFR expects long-term progress
“International robotic demand is predicted to proceed its long-term progress trajectory. Installations are forecast to rise by 9% to 655,000 items in 2026 and attain 806,000 items in 2029,” mentioned the IFR. “Regardless of substantial regional variations, with international locations similar to China, the U.S., and India as robust progress markets, the worldwide outlook stays optimistic.”
The IFR famous that the necessity for extra resilient provide chains, latest commerce insurance policies, and geoplitical conflicts are leading to growing relocation exercise amongst producers. Labor shortages and reshoring or nearshoring manufacturing will drive the demand for automation.
“Whereas this may increasingly shift the regional sample of robotic demand, there is no such thing as a indication that the long-term progress pattern in industrial robotics is coming to an finish from a worldwide perspective,” mentioned the IFR.
It additionally predicted that advances in AI, machine imaginative and prescient, and sensing will proceed to enhance robotic capabilities, whereas simpler programming and system integration will minimize deployment prices and produce automation to new purposes and clients.
“We have now an issue the place there are tons of of hundreds of open manufacturing and meeting jobs,” Fast informed The Robotic Report. “It’s presupposed to be 2 million by 2030. We simply don’t have sufficient folks keen to do these jobs.”
“Secondly, some jobs may cause bodily hurt, and the shortage of staff is inflicting an financial drain,” he added. “Let’s have robots do the work that nobody needs to do and the stuff that’s harmful. We’re not seeking to do every thing a human does.”
Editor’s notice: Reshoring manufacturing with automation would be the subject of a panel dialogue at RoboBusiness 2026, which shall be on Oct. 20 and 21 in Santa Clara, Calif. Register now to attend.
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