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Since 1961, industrial robots have continuously recorded substantial improvements in terms of their capabilities, thus attracting huge demand across major industries.
The International Federation of Robotics (IRF)’s “World Robotics: Industrial Robots 2012” report indicates that global sales of industrial robots rose by a high 38 percent in 2011 over 2010 to 166,028 units, by far the highest level ever recorded for one year. The trend towards automation, interrupted by the 2009 crisis, recovered in 2009 and started to peak in 2011. Main drivers for this upward trend are the automotive industry and the metal industry. Other sectors also recorded increasing robot investments above average. The electrical/ electronics industry ordered considerably more robots starting 2011.
Driving growth
In 2010, the automotive industry, the most important buyer and user of industrial robots, re-emerged to invest in industrial robots after continuously reducing robot installations since 2006. Automotive industry was one of the main drivers of the strong recovery of robot shipments. This continued from 2011 onward. About 59,700 new robots, 55 percent more than in 2010, were installed (a new peak level). In 2009, robot installations hit rock bottom and in 2010, about 70 percent more robots were sold to the automotive industry, or a total of 32,700 units. In 2011, the automotive industry accounted for 36 percent of the total annual supply.
The electrical/electronics industry (including computers and equipment, radio, TV and communication devices and equipment and medical, precision and optical instruments) further increased robot orders by 20 percent to a new peak level of 37,500 units. Already in 2010, the worldwide shipments of industrial robots almost tripled to about 31,500 units, up from 10,900 units in 2009. The share of the total supply in 2011 was about 23 percent.
After years of continuing growth, the rubber and plastics industry reduced robot investments in 2008 and 2009, from the peak level of about 15,000 units to 5,800 units. In 2010, sales recovered to about 8,900 units and in 2011, and another 10,500 units were sold. The upward trend has been noticeable and is expected to persist in the next few years. The food and beverage industry increased robot orders by 7 percent to 4,650 units, accounting for a share of 3 percent of the total supply.
In 2011, sales to the metal and machinery industry surged by 54 percent to about 14,100 units, accounting for a share of almost 9 percent of the total supply. Sales to all industries except for automotive and electrical/electronics increased by 37 percent in 2011. The robot suppliers reported a considerable increase of customers in the past years. However, the number of units which is ordered by these customers is often very small.
Worldwide operational stock of industrial robots increased considerably. Total accumulated sales, measured since the introduction of industrial robots at the end of the 1960s, amounted to more than 2.31 million units by the end of 2011. These units include the dedicated industrial robots installed in Japan. Most of the early robots, however, have by now been taken out of service. Based on the assumptions made by IFR, the total worldwide stock of operational industrial robots at the end of 2011 was in the range of 1.15 million and 1.4 million unit. The assumption is that average length of service life is 12 years of the robot. A UNECE/IFR pilot study has indicated that the average service life of an industrial robot might in fact be as long as 15 years, which would then result in a worldwide stock of 1.4 units.
