From industrial production to all aspects of daily life, robots are penetrating at an unprecedented rate. Whether it is in industrial, medical or other fields, their presence in the market is gradually expanding.

The electronics industry, being a labor-intensive sector, has traditionally relied on a large workforce for its annual production. However, due to the aging population in China in recent years, as well as the scarcity of human resources and increasing costs, China has started to introduce a significant number of robots into its manufacturing industry. The electronics industry currently holds the largest number of installed industrial robots, a position it has maintained since 2020. In 2022, 157,000 industrial robots were installed in the electronics industry, accounting for a 1% increase from 2021, reaching a share of 28%. The automotive industry follows closely with 136,000 installations, representing a 3% increase in share, totaling 25%. This growth includes the deployment of industrial robots by both automakers and component suppliers. The metal and machinery industry ranks third, with an installed volume of 66,000 units and a decrease in share by 1% to 12%. The plastics and chemical industry, as well as the food and beverage industry, have installed volumes of 24,000 units and 15,000 units, respectively, with shares of 4% and 3%.

However, over the past decade, the changing needs of various industries have had varying impacts on the deployment of industrial robots. According to the IFR report covering the period from 2012 to 2022, the automotive and electronics industries have experienced a reversal in the proportion of robot installations. The automotive industry's robot installations have decreased from 42% to 25%, while the electronics industry's robot installations have increased from 20% to 28%.

On the surface, it appears that the automotive and electronics industries have both experienced a significant change in the proportion of robot usage, but the actual situation is that both industries have seen a substantial growth in the number of robots deployed. In 2012, the automotive industry had 6.65 million units of robot installations, which increased to 13.61 million units by 2022. Similarly, the electronics industry saw an increase from 3.27 million units in 2012 to 15.69 million units in 2022.

Furthermore, the change in the installed base of general industrial robots has been a key factor in the overall increase in robot volumes. Over the ten-year period, the installed base of general industrial robots grew from 60,100 to 260,000 units, with its share increasing from 38% to 47%.

Regarding the distribution of applications, handling, welding, and assembly robots were the top three types of applications in 2022, with annual installations of 266,000 units, 86,000 units, and 61,000 units, respectively. These figures represent growth rates of 10%, -7%, and -4%.

According to the World Robotics Report, global robot installations are expected to grow by 7% in 2023, surpassing 590,000 units. The report also notes that the growth rate of global robot installations may be affected by the economic slowdown in 2024, but installations are projected to slightly accelerate in 2025, driven by stronger market demand by 2026.