North American robot sales in Q1: down 6% year-on-year

Recently, data from the Association for the Advancement of Automation (A3) showed that North American industrial robot sales are still slow, with North American industrial robot sales falling 6% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023 .

A3 said that from January to March 2024, North America purchased a total of 8,582 industrial robots with a total value of US$494 million. In the first quarter of 2023, North American companies ordered 9,168 units with a total value of US$597 million.

“As we approach mid-year, North American robot orders are showing signs of improvement. It is particularly encouraging that non-automotive customers are continuing to increase their adoption of robots, demonstrating the expanding reach and impact of automation across industries,” said Alex Shikany, vice president of membership and market intelligence at A3.

North American robot orders also fell 30% year-on-year in 2023, after two years of record sales. North American companies purchased 31,159 robots in 2023, compared with 44,196 ordered in 2022 and 3,708 in 2021.

A3 attributes the 2023 slowdown to “obvious issues” such as a slowing U.S. economy, rising interest rates, and even supply chain problems caused by over-purchasing of robots in 2022.

It should be noted that A3 only collects sales data for traditional industrial robots, and does not include data for autonomous mobile robots or collaborative robotic arms .

However, a closer look at the data shows that this decline is mainly due to the reduction in demand for robots in the automotive industry. In sharp contrast, the purchase of robots by non-automotive industries has shown a steady growth trend, with orders increasing by 16% year-on-year.

Non-automotive customers ordered 4,096 robots, accounting for 48% of total orders in the first quarter of 2024. Among these customers, the top three order growth from the first quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024 are: food and consumer goods 120%; life sciences, pharmaceuticals and biomedicine 72%; precious metals 46%.

This phenomenon reflects that industrial robots are getting rid of the state of dependence on a single industry and gradually expanding into broader fields. Consumption, smart medical care , precious metals and other industries have shown a growing demand for robots, which shows that the application scenarios of robot technology are constantly expanding and its influence is also increasing day by day.

This phenomenon is not unique to North America. The application areas of industrial robots are also expanding around the world. According to a report by Interact Analysis, global industrial robot shipments will exceed 500,000 units in 2023, setting a new record. At the same time, the average price of industrial robots is declining year by year, and is expected to drop by about 3% each year between 2024 and 2028, which will further promote the widespread application of robots in more industries.

With the in-depth integration of advanced technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, we are witnessing a paradigm shift that is reshaping industries, improving productivity and unlocking new growth possibilities. Clearly, this is not just a trend, but a cornerstone of modern manufacturing.

New robots spawned by technological innovation not only play an important role in the production and manufacturing process, but also have broad application prospects in the fields of logistics, medical rehabilitation, and home services. It is foreseeable that robots will become indispensable assistants in all walks of life in the future, promoting all-round changes in production models and lifestyles.

Of course, this also means that humans need to face new challenges.

On the one hand, robots may replace some jobs that are repetitive and have harsh environments, bringing about adjustments in the employment structure; on the other hand, the rapid technological changes have also made "safety" a focus of attention.

However, A3 President Jeff Burnstein does not believe that robots will completely replace humans. He said: " Industrial automation is shaping the future of work and production in all walks of life, truly amplifying human ingenuity rather than replacing humans."

In general, although robot sales fluctuate in the short term, in the long run, industrial automation is still the general trend, and industrial robots will surely be revitalized by new technologies.