New A3 knowledge exhibits second-quarter progress throughout semiconductors/electronics, automotive elements, meals and client items, metals and life sciences
North American corporations ordered 8,940 robots valued at $622 million within the second quarter of 2026, in line with new knowledge launched by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3).
In comparison with the second quarter of 2025, this represents a 4.3 p.c improve in items ordered and a 21.3 p.c improve in income.
Second-quarter outcomes introduced first-half totals to 17,995 items valued at $1.166 billion, representing 2 p.c progress in items and 6.6 p.c progress so as worth over the primary half of 2025.
Basic trade continues to offset automotive OEM softness
The primary half of 2026 continued a pattern that has been constructing over the previous a number of quarters: robotics demand is changing into more and more diversified throughout industries.
Whereas Automotive OEM orders declined 25 p.c in comparison with the primary half of 2025, progress in Automotive Element and a number of other basic trade sectors helped offset that decline, together with:
- Semi & Electronics/Photonics: +35 p.c items
- Life Sciences/Pharma/Biomed: +32 p.c unit
- Automotive Element: +24 p.c items
- Meals & Shopper Items: +17 p.c items
- Plastics & Rubber: +6 p.c items
- All Different Industries: +6 p.c items
- Metals: +3 p.c items
Second quarter progress broadens throughout key manufacturing sectors
A number of industries posted double-digit year-over-year features in robotic orders in the course of the second quarter.
- Semi & Electronics/Photonics elevated 38 p.c yr over yr, whereas Automotive Element grew 20 p.c.
- Meals & Shopper Items and Metals every elevated 18 p.c, and Life Sciences/Pharma/Biomed posted 9 p.c progress.
- Non-automotive prospects accounted for 56 p.c of robotic items ordered in the course of the quarter, persevering with the pattern of robots being adopted throughout quite a lot of industries.
Collaborative robots stay an essential a part of the market
Collaborative robots continued to symbolize a good portion of automation funding in the course of the first half of 2026.
Corporations ordered 2,774 collaborative robots valued at $114 million, accounting for 15.4 p.c of all robotic items ordered and 9.8 p.c of complete order income.
Within the second quarter alone, corporations ordered 1,137 collaborative robots valued at $44 million, representing 12.7 p.c of complete items and seven.1 p.c of quarterly income.
Collaborative robotic adoption remained significantly robust in Life Sciences/Pharma/Biomed and Semi & Electronics/Photonics, the place collaborative robots accounted for 43.7 p.c and 36.5 p.c of first-half robotic orders, respectively.
Alex Shikany, government vice chairman at A3, says: “The primary half of 2026 exhibits how the combination of the robotics market continues to evolve.
“Automotive stays an essential driver of demand, whereas we’re additionally seeing progress throughout a wider vary of industries.
“Outcomes weren’t uniform throughout each sector, however the breadth of progress outdoors Automotive OEM is a crucial pattern we’ll proceed to look at.”
Manufacturing situations proceed to help automation funding
Regardless of continued uncertainty throughout the broader economic system, producers continued investing in automation in the course of the first half of 2026.
Manufacturing PMI remained in enlargement territory for a sixth consecutive month in June, with new orders and manufacturing persevering with to develop. Federal Reserve knowledge additionally confirmed manufacturing output 1.1 p.c above its year-earlier degree in June.
Whereas the timing of huge Automotive OEM initiatives and broader financial situations will proceed to affect quarterly outcomes, the first-half knowledge suggests producers proceed to view automation as a long-term funding in competitiveness.
Past the headlines with MI+
Extra detailed market breakouts and graphs for Q2 2026 can be found upon request for press and inside the A3 Vault for member corporations.
For deeper insights, A3 members can subscribe to MI+, the Affiliation’s premium market intelligence platform, that includes forecasts, dashboards, and in-depth reporting to help higher decision-making.
