-

Robot density nearly doubled globally – International Federation of Robotics reports

FRANKFURT--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The use of industrial robots in factories around the world is accelerating at a high rate: 126 robots per 10,000 employees is the new average of global robot density in the manufacturing industries – nearly double the number five years ago (2015: 66 units). This is according to the 2021 World Robot Statistics, issued by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

By regions, the average robot density in Asia/Australia is 134 units, in Europe 123 units and in the Americas 111 units. The top 5 most automated countries in the world are: South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Germany, and Sweden.

“Robot density is the barometer to track the degree of automation adoption in the manufacturing industry around the world,” says Milton Guerry, President of the International Federation of Robotics.

Asia
The development of robot density in China is the most dynamic worldwide: Due to the significant growth of robot installations, the density rate rose from 49 units in 2015 to 246 units in 2020. Today, China’s robot density ranks 9th globally compared to 25th just five years ago.

Asia is also the home of the country with the world´s highest robot density in the manufacturing industry: the Republic of Korea has held this position since 2010. The country’s robot density exceeds the global average seven-fold (932 units per 10,000 workers).

Singapore takes second place with a rate of 605 robots per 10,000 employees in 2020.

Japan ranked third in the world: In 2020, 390 robots were installed per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing industry. Japan is the world´s predominant industrial robot manufacturer: Today, Japan´s manufacturers deliver 45% of the global robot supply.

North America
Robot density in the United States rose from 176 units in 2015 to 255 units in 2020. The country ranks seventh in the world – ahead of Chinese Taipei (248 units) and China (246 units).

Europe
Europe´s most automated country is Germany - ranking 4th worldwide with 371 units. The annual supply had a share of 33% of total robot sales in Europe 2020.

Please find FULL TEXT press release here: International Federation of Robotics (ifr.org)

Graphic download: https://ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/news/robot-density-nearly-doubled-globally

IFR Video: FACTS about INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS - worldwide 2021 - YouTube

About IFR: www.ifr.org

Follow IFR on LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

Contacts

IFR Press contact
Carsten Heer
phone +49 (0) 40 822 44 284
E-Mail: press@ifr.org

Industry:

International Federation of Robotics

Details
Headquarters: Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland
Website: IFR.org
CEO: Gudrun Litzenberger
Employees: 50
Organization: NON
Release Versions
EnglishGerman
Hashtags
#Germany
#Japan
#Korea
#UK
#automation
#china
#density
#robot
#usa
#worldrobotics

Contacts

IFR Press contact
Carsten Heer
phone +49 (0) 40 822 44 284
E-Mail: press@ifr.org

More News From International Federation of Robotics

US Robot Industry Returns to Double Digit Growth – IFR Reports

FRANKFURT, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The number of industrial robot installations in the United States rose by 11% year-on-year, to reach 38,000 units in 2025. This significant recovery is driven by robust growth in the food industry and other non-manufacturing sectors. However, the automotive industry remains the largest adopter and reached 13,500 units, just 1% below last year's result. These are preliminary statistics, presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). “The United...

IERA Award 2026 Goes to Flying Warehouse Robots by Verity from Switzerland

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 2026 “Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Robotics & Automation” (IERA) goes to Swiss deep-tech company Verity for its fully autonomous indoor drone system. The aerial robots help in the logistics and retail sector, continuously keeping track of inventory without GPS or human intervention. The drones autonomously navigate aisles and scan barcodes before returning to charging stations. Across deployed fleets, a centralized cloud-based...

China Makes “AI-Powered Robots” Core of National Strategy – IFR Reports

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--China has launched its 15th Five-Year Plan by placing robotics at the heart of its modern industrial system. The aim is to pivot its AI research towards physical applications with robots as main drivers for economic growth. This is a next step in the country's strong automation development: 54% of annual industrial robots installed worldwide were deployed in China. This is according to the World Robotics 2025 Report by IFR. “The outline of the 15th F...
Back to Newsroom