According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) World Robotics 2025 report, roughly 541,000 new industrial robots were installed worldwide in 2024, staying about level with the record year before. The global operating stock reached an all-time high of approximately 4.3 million units, a clear sign that automation investment remains strong across manufacturing.
China continues to dominate new installations, accounting for about half of all units sold. Its robot density now reaches roughly 470 robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers, overtaking Germany. For buyers sourcing machinery, this means the factory floor in China is increasingly automated, with implications for product quality and consistency.
The United States returned to double-digit growth in 2024, driven by reshoring, electric vehicle and battery plants, and semiconductor fabs. Japan, Korea and Germany remain large but slower-growing markets, while emerging economies are starting to automate at a faster pace.
Perhaps the most important shift for machinery buyers: electronics has overtaken automotive as the leading application, with metal, plastics and general industry growing fastest. AI-enabled robotics and humanoid pilots from companies such as Figure, Unitree and UBTECH moved from demo stage to production-floor testing inside major plants - a trend to watch through 2026 and 2027.
For industrial machinery buyers, the takeaway is practical: automated factories tend to produce more consistent parts and shorter lead times. When comparing suppliers, ask about automation levels and quality-control processes on the production floor - they are becoming a meaningful competitive differentiator.