Recently, the "2023 World Robotics Report" (henceforth referred to as the "Report") was released by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). The report states that in 2022, there were 553052 newly installed industrial robots in factories worldwide, representing a 5% rise from the previous year. Asia makes up 73% of them, followed by Europe at 15% and the Americas at 10%.
China, the largest market for industrial robots worldwide, deployed 290258 units in 2022, a 5% rise over the previous year and a record for 2021. Robot installation has grown at an average yearly pace of 13% since 2017.
5%
a year-on-year increase
290258 units
installation amount in 2022
13%
average annual growth rate
According to statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, industrial robot applications currently cover 60 major categories and 168 medium categories in the national economy. China has become the world's largest industrial robot application country for 9 consecutive years. In 2022, China's industrial robot production reached 443000 sets, a year-on-year increase of over 20%, and the installed capacity accounted for over 50% of the global proportion.
Following closely behind is Japan, which saw a 9% increase in installation volume in 2022, reaching 50413 units, exceeding the level of 2019 but not exceeding the historical peak of 55240 units in 2018. Since 2017, its average annual growth rate of robot installation has been 2%.
As the world's leading robot manufacturing country, Japan accounts for 46% of the global robot production. In the 1970s, the proportion of Japanese labor force decreased and labor costs increased. At the same time, the rise of the Japanese automotive industry had a strong demand for automotive production automation. Against this backdrop, the Japanese industrial robot industry ushered in a golden development period of about 30 years.
At present, Japan's industrial robot industry leads the world in terms of market size and technology. The industrial robot industry chain in Japan is complete and has numerous core technologies. 78% of Japanese industrial robots are exported to foreign countries, and China is an important export market for Japanese industrial robots.
In Europe, Germany is one of the top five purchasing countries globally, with a 1% decrease in installation to 25636 units. In the Americas, the installation of robots in the United States increased by 10% in 2022, reaching 39576 units, slightly lower than the peak level of 40373 units in 2018. The driving force for its growth is concentrated in the automotive industry, which installed 14472 units in 2022, with a growth rate of 47%. The proportion of robots deployed in the industry has rebounded to 37%. Then there are the metal and mechanical industries and the electrical/electronic industries, with installed quantities of 3900 units and 3732 units in 2022, respectively.
Global Robotics Technology and Accelerated Competition in Industrial Development
The International Federation of Robotics' President, Marina Bill, announced that in 2023, there would be more than 500,000 newly installed industrial robots for the second year in a row. The global industrial robot market is predicted to expand by 7% in 2023, or over 590000 units.
According to the "China Robot Technology and Industry Development Report (2023)", the competition for global robot technology and industry development is accelerating.
In terms of technological development trend, in recent years, robot technology innovation has continued to be active, and patent applications have shown a strong development momentum. China's patent application volume ranks first, and the patent application volume has maintained an upward trend. Leading enterprises attach great importance to global patent layout, and global competition is becoming increasingly fierce.
In terms of industrial development pattern, as an important indicator of national technological innovation and high-end manufacturing level, the robot industry has received much attention. The robotics industry is regarded by major global economies as an important means to enhance the competitive advantage of the manufacturing industry.
In terms of market application, with the rapid development of robot technology and the continuous exploration of market potential, the global robot industry maintains a growth trend, and China has become an important driving force for the development of the robot industry. The automotive and electronics industries still have the highest level of robot application, and the development of humanoid robots is accelerating.
The Development Level of China's Robot Industry Has Steadily Improved
Currently, the overall development level of China's robotics industry is steadily improving, with a large number of innovative enterprises emerging. From the distribution of national level specialized, refined, and innovative "little giants" enterprises and listed companies in the field of robotics, China's high-quality robotics enterprises are mainly distributed in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta, and Pearl River Delta regions, forming industrial clusters represented by Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Dongguan, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Suzhou, Foshan, Guangzhou, Qingdao, etc., and led and driven by local high-quality enterprises, A group of new and cutting-edge enterprises with strong competitiveness in segmented fields have emerged. Among them, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Shanghai have the strongest robot industry strength, while Dongguan, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Suzhou, and Foshan have gradually developed and strengthened their robot industries. Guangzhou and Qingdao have shown considerable potential for latecomer development in the robot industry.
According to market research institute MIR data, after the domestic market share of industrial robots exceeded 40% in the first quarter of this year and the foreign market share fell below 60% for the first time, the market share of domestic industrial robot enterprises is still rising, reaching 43.7% in the first half of the year.
At the same time, the basic capabilities of the robot industry have improved rapidly, showing a trend towards mid to high end development. Some technologies and applications have already taken the lead in the world. Domestic manufacturers have gradually overcome many difficulties in key core components such as control systems and servo motors, and the localization rate of robots is gradually increasing. Among them, core components such as harmonic reducers and rotary vector reducers have entered the supply chain system of international leading enterprises. We hope that domestic robot brands can seize the opportunity and accelerate the transformation from large to strong.
Post time: Oct-20-2023
