Robot sales in North American manufacturing sees 12 percent growth

A recent report from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) finds that the North American robotics market showed strong growth in 2022. Total installations in manufacturing rose by 12 percent and reached 41,624 units in the year.

According to IFR, the number one adopter is the automotive industry. Companies based in the U.S., Canada and Mexico installed 20,391 industrial robots – up 30 percent compared to 2021. These are preliminary results, presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

“North America represents the second largest operational stock of industrial robots in the world after China,” says Marina Bill, president of IFR. “The United States, Canada, and Mexico are key markets in the global growth of robotics automation, and the automotive sector is leading the way.”

Installation counts in Canada largely depend on investments in the automotive industry which accounts for 40 percent of robot installations. Sales to automotive declined by 36 percent with 1,258 units installed in 2022. This is below the pre-pandemic level of 1,897 units in 2019. The robot installations to manufacture parts and accessories for motor vehicles were significantly down by 45 percent with 995 units sold. Motor vehicles, engines and bodies on the other hand grew by 99 percent with 263 units sold.

In the United States, demand from car makers and manufacturers of components rose by 48 percent in 2022. Installations thus display the cyclical demand pattern well-known from this customer segment. After a few years of contraction, down from the peak level of 15,397 units in 2017 to 9,854 units in 2021, installations surged to 14,594 units in 2022.

Robot installations in Mexico are also determined by the automotive industry which accounted for 66 percent of the robot installations in 2022. Sales grew by 16 percent and reached 4,222 units in 2022 – the second best result since the peak level of 4,805 units in record year 2017.

Installation counts in other industries exceeding the 4,000-unit mark in North America are electrical/electronics (up 28 percent), metal and machinery (down nine percent) and plastic and chemical products (down four percent). They each represent a nine percent market share of industrial robot installations in 2022.