Robot Orders in North America Surge to $2.4B, Break Sales Record

The labor shortage, supply chain delays, and a resurgence in orders from automotive companies saw the North American robotics market set all-time records in both robots sold and value in 2022.
446
Robotic arms along assembly line in modern factory. Heavy industry, technology and machine learning. 3D rendering
Robot sales in 2022 shattered the previous record with $2.4B in sales. // Stock Photo

The labor shortage, supply chain delays, and a resurgence in orders from automotive companies saw the North American robotics market set all-time records in both robots sold and value in 2022.

According to a new report from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) in Ann Arbor, North American companies ordered 44,196 robots valued at nearly $2.4 billion last year, representing increases of 11 percent and 18 percent, respectively, over 2021, the previous record.

More than 50 percent of sales came from the automotive industry, which ordered 23,807 robots, up from 16,752 in 2021. While orders from non-automotive industries slowed from the previous three years, unique applications continued to emerge in such industries as food services, construction, and agriculture, such as robots cooking and serving food, dry walling, and even harvesting and picking.

“Although labor shortage and supply chain issues impact nearly all industries in North America, automakers’ public commitment to move to electric vehicles has set in motion a resurgence of robot orders in this market,” says Jeff Burnstein, president of A3. “Automotive OEMs and components suppliers alike recognize that investing in robots is instrumental to the emergence of EVs as well as to manufacturing all vehicles as they compete to meet customer demand.”

In the first nine months of 2022, North American companies purchased 35,804 robots, up 24 percent over the same period in 2021. While fourth-quarter orders slowed, with companies ordering 8,392 robots, total numbers for the year from all industries resulted in the 11 percent record over 2021.

“While the numbers of robots sold to non-automotive companies isn’t as staggering as it’s been over the last couple of years, it’s clear that companies in every industry see automation as necessary for success,” Burnstein says. “We look forward to seeing more unique and increasingly easy-to-use robots that all industries can benefit from at Automate 2023 in Detroit this May.”

Automate 2023, an automation showcase in North America, provides the latest in cutting-edge robotics as well as vision, artificial intelligence, motion control, and more. Registration for the four-day show, scheduled for May 22-25 at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit, is free.

A3, the leading global advocate for the benefits of automating, promotes automation technologies and ideas that transform the way business is done. Members of A3 represent more than 1,160 automation manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, academic institutions, research groups, and consulting firms that drive automation forward worldwide.

A3 hosts a number of industry-leading events, including the International Robotics Safety Conference, the AI & Smart Automation Conference, Autonomous Mobile Robots & Logistics Week, The Vision Show, A3 TechCon, the A3 Business Forum. and Automate (May 22-25, 2023, in Detroit).

For more information, visit  Association for Advancing Automation.