The global industrial robotics market is reaching record growth levels.
In 2025, a record number of industrial robots—600,000 units—were installed worldwide, which is 11% more than the previous year. The main driver of this growth was China, and the global market continues to expand thanks to technological advancements and a shortage of skilled labor.
Ingenium
Each year, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, publishes the World Robotics Report. The latest edition, released on September 24, recorded a significant increase in the global industrial robotics market.
Global Indicators
In 2025, 600,000 new industrial robots were installed worldwide—a record figure that surpassed the previous year’s result by 11%. The total number of industrial robots in operation reached approximately 5 million units, representing a 9% increase compared to the previous year. Over the past seven years, the global installed base of robots has doubled.
Regional Distribution
Asia
The Asian region, especially China, leads the world in the adoption of industrial robots. The number of new installations in China grew by 20% compared to the previous year, significantly outpacing the global average growth rate. China accounted for 354,000 out of the 600,000 new robots, making up 59% of the total. Japan remains the second-largest robotics market in Asia, but the number of new installations there dropped by 19% year-on-year.
North America
Globally, the United States rose to second place in the robotics market for the first time, overtaking Japan. In the US, the number of new installations increased by 12%, reaching nearly 38,500 robots—about one-tenth of China’s installed base.
Europe
In Europe, Germany remains the largest robotics market, accounting for 41% of all robot installations on the continent. However, the number of new installations in Germany fell by 8% to less than 25,000 units, with annual growth estimated at around 2%. The automotive industry continues to be the main consumer of industrial robots in Germany, although its share is gradually declining.
Growth Factors and Forecasts
The growth of the industrial robotics market is driven by advances in artificial intelligence, machine vision technologies, and sensors, as well as a shortage of skilled labor and demographic changes. It is expected that in 2026, the global industrial robotics market will grow by another 9%.