A3: Robot orders grow 6.6% in 2025 as general industries drive broader automation adoption

New data from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) found that North American robot orders rose in 2025, reflecting strong investment in automation across a growing range of industries.

The report found that companies across the region ordered 36,766 robots valued at $2.25 billion last year. Compared to 2024, this represents a 6.6% increase in units ordered and a 10.1% increase in revenue.

General industry drives 2025 market gains

A3 said that robot demand from non-automotive customers outpaced demand from their automotive industry counterparts in 2025, with general industries capturing the majority share of units ordered throughout the year. Industries such as food and consumer goods, semiconductors and electronics, and life sciences all contributed to this broad-based momentum.

“The rebound in robot orders over the course of 2025 reflects renewed confidence in automation as a long-term solution to competitive pressures,” said Alex Shikany, executive vice president at A3. “We’re seeing increasing adoption across sectors, especially in general industry applications and at automotive OEMs, as manufacturers look to automation to address workforce shortages, manage reshoring initiatives and boost productivity.”

While automotive component orders remained below 2024 levels, A3 said that activity from automotive OEMs showed meaningful improvement. This uptick from major vehicle manufacturers may signal stabilization in core automotive markets heading into 2026.

Strong Q4 finishes 2025

In the fourth quarter of 2025, A3’s report said that companies ordered 10,325 robots valued at $579 million. These figures represent a 6.6% increase in units and an 8.7% rise in revenue compared to Q4 2024, based on adjusted comparisons using matched reporting companies.

“Automotive OEMs came back strong in the second half of the year, which often serves as a leading indicator for growth in supplier and component markets,” Shikany added. “Combined with steady demand across food, electronics, and other non-automotive industries, this points to a positive outlook for 2026.”

A3 said that this marks the sixth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth and lifted annual totals to their highest level since 2022.

Cobots accelerate in Q4, end 2025 at nearly 20% share

A3’s report said that collaborative robots (cobots) continued their upward trajectory, accounting for 28.6% of all robots ordered in Q4 2025 and 14.7% of quarterly revenue. This represents 2,953 units valued at $85 million, the highest quarterly volume recorded since A3 began reporting collaborative robots as a distinct category in Q1 2025.

Across the full year, collaborative robot orders totaled 7,212 units valued at $241 million. This represents 19.6% of total robots ordered in 2025 and 10.7% of total revenue. A3 said this underscores the growing importance of collaborative systems in modern automation strategies.