IFR Reports Global Industrial Robot Fleet Reaches 5M as China Drives Growth
aiinsider ·
The International Federation of Robotics reported that the global stock of industrial robots reached a record 5 million units in 2025, more than doubling the figure from seven years prior. During this period, factories installed over 600,000 new robots, marking an 11% increase from 2024 and driving a 9% rise in the total installed base. China dominated the market with 354,000 installations, accounting for 59% of global deployments and growing by 20%. The United States surpassed Japan to become the second-largest market, recording nearly 38,500 installations, while Japan saw a significant decline to third place. Growth was strongest in Asia and the Americas, whereas Europe expanded at a slower pace, with Germany remaining the largest European market but experiencing an 8% drop in sales. IFR president Jane Heffner highlighted that automation is progressing rapidly, supported by labor shortages, manufacturing investment, and advances in AI and machine vision. Looking ahead, the organization expects annual installations to rise by 9% to 655,000 units in 2026 and reach 806,000 by 2029.
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