Have you ever wondered how many robots are working in factories around the world? Probably not, and even if you did, you don't have to anymore, because the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) has come to the rescue with a report on the matter.
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More and more robots
What does the aforementioned document show? Two basic things, and they both point to a rather obvious trend that shows that, virtually all over the world, automation is advancing at an incredible rate.
The first component of the report we mentioned earlier is that, for the third consecutive year, the number of new robot installations in factories around the world exceeded half a million.
In 2021, there were a total of 3.47 million, while just one year later there were as many as 3.9 million. The latest figure recorded is 4.28 million, an increase of up to 10 per cent.
China the clear leader
The fact that, globally, the robotics market is growing, however, does not at all mean that this growth is the same everywhere. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here, the leader and the unquestionable leader is, of course, China.
If one were to take a look at the year 2023 alone, one would find that 276,288 new robots were installed in factories beyond the Great Wall, representing a whopping 51 per cent of the global total. Interestingly, this is hardly a record, as the year before the Chinese managed to reach 290,144 new robots in a single calendar year.
The Chinese were followed by the Japanese, and the last place on the podium was taken by the Americans. Further places, in turn, were taken by countries such as the ever-strong South Korea, Germany, and the ever-faster growing India. Interestingly, it is the latter country that has made the most progress, up 139 per cent.
Europe slightly behind
How does Europe - apart from Germany, of course, which is in the lead - compare in this respect? Weaker if the figures were broken down by country, but as the European Union + neighbouring countries, the overall result is slightly better.
Indeed, taking the entire Old Continent into account, here the installation of new robots reached 73,543 units in 2023. Leading the way is, of course, Germany, as well as Italy and France, where, however, there was a year-on-year decrease in new robots of as much as 13 per cent.
The biggest increase, on the other hand, was recorded in the UK - so a country that is outside the European Union. The 3,830 new robots represent an annual increase of up to 51 per cent.
They will not stop this trend
The aforementioned report shows that the next calendar year, i.e. 2024, will also be part of the trend. These may not be record-breaking results, but the increases should continue at a level of more than half a million new installations.
There are many indications that the trend will not even be affected by the unsettled geopolitical situation and subsequent outbreaks of conflict, as well as the impending US presidential election. The installation of new robots will continue to grow, which will mean increased profits and accelerated production for a whole range of manufacturer
