Study Predicts Industrial Robot Sales Boom in 2019

An industrial robot boom is expected to occur in 2019, with a projected 1.4 million new industrial robots installed that year, according to a recent report by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). In total, 2.6 million industrial robots will be deployed by 2019, with China leading demand for the technology, the non-profit robotics organization said.

“Automation is a central competitive factor for traditional manufacturing groups, but is also becoming increasingly important for small and medium-sized enterprises around the world,” said president of the IFR in a statement.

Analysts expect the market for industrial robots to grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13% from 2017 to 2019. China’s ongoing national manufacturing planning initiative is forecasted to drive tremendous growth of industrial robotics in the country, which analysts said will account for 40% of the worldwide market volume in 2019.

“With a national 10-year plan – entitled ‘Made in China 2025’ – the country is aiming to become one of the top technological industrial nations within just a few years,” notes the IFR’s report, “However, in order to meet Beijing’s target of a robot density of 150 units by 2020, some 600,000 to 650,000 new industrial robots will have to be installed throughout China.”

Korea ranked second and Japan came in third among the biggest forecasted global industrial robot markets. Singapore was also identified as a leader in Asia for its strides in manufacturing automation, the report’s authors noted.

The European Union is considered a leader in manufacturing automation and production of industrial robots, with some of the world’s highest levels of robot density. Growth in the EU is predicted at a 14% CAGR until 2019, with the most new equipment being sold in the Czech Republic and Poland.

The United States is the fourth largest market for industrial robots in the world and plays a leading role in automotive industry automation, the IFR said. European makers of industrial robots are expected to open new production locations within the U.S. to meet demand.

“Companies will, in the future, be concentrating on the collaboration of human and machine, simplified applications, and light-weight robots. Added to this are the two-armed robots, mobile solutions, and the integration of robots into existing environments. There will be an increased focus on modular robots and robotic systems, which can be marketed at extremely attractive prices,” the report said.

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