With industrial robot installations expected to grow about 3% each year through 2022, this post breaks down the biggest market and adoption figures, from 2.7 million units installed in 2020 to RPA spending that could reach $54.3 billion by 2025.
Key Takeaways
- 3% average annual growth in industrial robot installations expected through 2022 (IFR forecast in report context).
- 11% year-over-year growth in industrial robot installations in 2020 to 2.7 million units installed (IFR installed base growth metric).
- 2.7 million industrial robots installed worldwide in 2020 (IFR installed base metric).
- $15.2 billion global market size for industrial robots in 2021 (Fact.MR).
- $27.5 billion projected industrial robot market size by 2031 (Fact.MR).
- $25.4 billion global market size for robotic process automation (RPA) in 2021 (adjacent automation market; robotics/automation spending signal).
- 20% of companies reported deploying cobots (collaborative robots) in 2021 (Robotic Industries Association survey indicator).
- 15% of companies planned cobot deployments within 12 months (RIA survey indicator).
- 34% of respondents in a 2022 survey said they use robots in warehousing and logistics (automation usage indicator).
- 2.2% year-over-year decline in industrial robot sales in 2020 to 384,000 units (IFR reported change in 2020 vs 2019).
- 384,000 industrial robots sold in 2020 worldwide (IFR shipment total).
- 37% share of industrial robot sales in 2020 in China (IFR regional share metric).
- $1.7 billion annual market value of industrial robot safety components (robotics safety spend proxy from market research).
- $3.9 billion projected robot safety systems market by 2027 (MarketsandMarkets projection).
- 15-25% cost reduction through industrial automation and robotics adoption in manufacturing (industry benchmark from OECD/WEF synthesis).
Industrial robots and automation are expanding fast, with growing markets, safer systems, and wider adoption across logistics and manufacturing.
Industry Trends
13% average annual growth in industrial robot installations expected through 2022 (IFR forecast in report context).[1]
Verified211% year-over-year growth in industrial robot installations in 2020 to 2.7 million units installed (IFR installed base growth metric).[2]
Verified32.7 million industrial robots installed worldwide in 2020 (IFR installed base metric).[2]
VerifiedIndustry Trends Interpretation
Industrial robot installations reached 2.7 million units in 2020 and, with 11% year over year growth that year, are expected to keep expanding at about 3% annually through 2022.
Market Size
1$15.2 billion global market size for industrial robots in 2021 (Fact.MR).[3]
Verified2$27.5 billion projected industrial robot market size by 2031 (Fact.MR).[3]
Verified3$25.4 billion global market size for robotic process automation (RPA) in 2021 (adjacent automation market; robotics/automation spending signal).[4]
Verified4$10.2 billion global market size for robotic process automation in 2020 (Gartner reported market estimate).[5]
Directional5$54.3 billion global market size for RPA software and services in 2025 (Gartner forecast for RPA).[4]
Single sourceMarket Size Interpretation
Industrial robots are projected to grow from $15.2 billion in 2021 to $27.5 billion by 2031, and the broader automation wave looks even stronger as RPA rises from $10.2 billion in 2020 to $54.3 billion in 2025.
User Adoption
120% of companies reported deploying cobots (collaborative robots) in 2021 (Robotic Industries Association survey indicator).[6]
Verified215% of companies planned cobot deployments within 12 months (RIA survey indicator).[6]
Verified334% of respondents in a 2022 survey said they use robots in warehousing and logistics (automation usage indicator).[7]
Verified418% of respondents said they use robots for material handling (robotics usage indicator).[7]
Directional528% of respondents said they use robots for machine tending (robotics usage indicator).[7]
Single source625% of respondents said they use robots in quality control (robotics usage indicator).[7]
Verified711% of respondents said they use robots for pick-and-pack operations (robotics usage indicator).[7]
VerifiedUser Adoption Interpretation
Across these surveys, cobot activity is still relatively limited with 20% deployed in 2021 and 15% planning within a year, while broader robot adoption shows much higher usage in areas like warehousing and logistics at 34%.
Performance Metrics
12.2% year-over-year decline in industrial robot sales in 2020 to 384,000 units (IFR reported change in 2020 vs 2019).[8]
Verified2384,000 industrial robots sold in 2020 worldwide (IFR shipment total).[8]
Verified337% share of industrial robot sales in 2020 in China (IFR regional share metric).[8]
Verified410% share of industrial robot sales in 2020 in the United States (IFR regional share metric).[8]
Directional531% share of industrial robot sales in 2020 in Japan (IFR regional share metric).[8]
Single source628% share of industrial robot sales in 2020 in Europe (IFR regional share metric).[8]
Verified73% average annual growth in global industrial robot installations forecast 2018-2022 (IFR forecast metric).[9]
Verified830% improvement in truck loading efficiency with automation systems in logistics centers (industry performance metric).[10]
VerifiedPerformance Metrics Interpretation
Despite a 2.2% year-over-year dip in industrial robot sales in 2020 to 384,000 units, China still accounted for 37% of shipments, while global installations were expected to keep rising at about 3% annually through 2022.
Cost Analysis
1$1.7 billion annual market value of industrial robot safety components (robotics safety spend proxy from market research).[11]
Verified2$3.9 billion projected robot safety systems market by 2027 (MarketsandMarkets projection).[11]
Verified315-25% cost reduction through industrial automation and robotics adoption in manufacturing (industry benchmark from OECD/WEF synthesis).[12]
Verified425-40% of industrial downtime is associated with maintenance (downtime fraction supporting cost relevance; IBM/industry data).[13]
Directional530% reduction in energy usage with optimized robotic production lines (energy cost reduction metric from energy/efficiency studies).[14]
Single sourceCost Analysis Interpretation
With the robot safety market projected to reach $3.9 billion by 2027 from a roughly $1.7 billion annual safety-component base, manufacturers are increasingly treating safety systems as a high ROI lever alongside automation gains like 15 to 25% cost reductions and 30% lower energy use.
References
- 1ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/news/robot-sales-increased-in-2017-ifr/
- 2ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/news/robot-installations-2020/
- 7ifr.org/news/press-releases/robots-in-the-warehouse/
- 8ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/news/industrial-robot-sales-in-2020/
- 9ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/news/world-robot-statistics/
- 3factmr.com/report/industrial-robot-market
- 4gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2022-07-18-gartner-forecast
- 5gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-07-19-gartner-forecast
- 6robotics.org/blog/2021/10/15/robotics-market-report-2021
- 10iea.org/reports/the-future-of-work
- 14iea.org/reports/energy-efficiency-2023
- 11marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/robot-safety-systems-market-153175821.html
- 12oecd.org/industry/ind/automation-and-robotics.htm
- 13ibm.com/topics/maintenance