IFR: Robot installations by U.S. manufacturing companies up 12 percent last year

Manufacturing companies in the United States have invested heavily in more automation, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). The organization announced today that total installations of industrial robots by U.S. manufacturers grew by 12% last year, to reach 44,303 units across manufacturing segments in 2023.

Number one adopter is the auto industry followed by the electrical and electronics sector. These are preliminary results, according to IFR.

“The United States has one of the most advanced manufacturing industries worldwide,” says Marina Bill, president of IFR. “The first IFR outlook on preliminary results shows again strong robotics demand across all major segments of U.S. manufacturing in 2023.”

Sales in the automotive segment rose by 1% with a record number of 14,678 robots installed in 2023. This comes after installations in 2022 skyrocketed by 47% reaching 14,472 units. The market share of car and component makers hit 33% of all industrial robot installations in the U.S. in 2023. The United States has the second largest production volume of cars and light vehicles worldwide, following China.

U.S. electronics industry

Installations in the electrical and electronics industry rose by 37% to 5,120 units in 2023. This number almost reached the record pre-pandemic level of 5,284 units, seen in 2018. The latest result represents a market share of 12% of all industrial robots installed in the U.S. manufacturing industry.

Demand for industrial robots in this segment is influenced by a trend to strengthen domestic supply chains and projects that drive the clean-energy transition, IFR said.

Installation counts in other industries exceeding the 3,000-unit mark in the U.S. are: metal and machinery (4,123 units, +6%) and plastic and chemical products (3,213 units, +5%). They represent a market share of 9% and 7% of industrial robot installations in 2023, respectively.

Canada and Mexico

Robot installation in Canada reached 4,616 units – up 43%. The automotive industry accounts for 55% of the country´s robot installations. Sales to the automotive sector rose by 99% with 2,549 units installed in 2023. This is an all-time high.

Robot installations in Mexico´s manufacturing industry remain almost unchanged with 5,868 units in 2023. The country´s main adopter is the automotive industry which accounted for 69% of the robot installations in 2023: sales reached 4,068 units (-0%) in 2023 – the third best result since the peak level of 4,805 units, in 2017.

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) also tracks industrial robot trends in North America, but monitors orders/sales, whereas IFR looks at installations/shipments. Earlier this year, A3's report indicated that after two record years for robots orders in North America in 2021 and 2022, sales declined last year.