Investment in industrial automation is growing strongly in Europe with the automotive industry still leading the way, according to findings from the International Federation of Robotics.
The total number of industrial robots installed in the industry in 2024 was 23,000, the second-best result in five years. “The European automotive sector is the region’s strongest customer industry for robotics,” says IFR President Takayuki Ito. Car makers are accounting for around a third of annual manufacturing installations in Europe.
“In terms of automation activity, the combined number of 23,000 European robot installations in the car sector was ahead of the 19,200 units installed in North America in 2024.”
IFR describes Europe´s car manufacturing industry as highly automated, with six European countries in the world’s top ten in robot density ranking for the industry in 2023. Switzerland is in first place, with a ratio of 3,876 robots to 10,000 factory workers; Slovenia is in third place (1,762 units); Germany in sixth (1,492 units); Austria in eighth (1,412 units); Finland in ninth (1,288 units); and the Benelux countries in tenth place with 1,132 units.
IFR points out that apart from Switzerland, all of these ‘automation champions’ are EU member states. IFR says:“The EU27 countries’ leading role is evident not only in the automotive industry, but across all sectors, accounting for around 85% of all regional installations in 2024. Germany, which belongs to the five major robot markets in the world, had a share of about 30% of the total installations in Europe. Italy followed with about 10% and Spain with about 6%. From 2019 to 2024, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of robots installed in the Europe was three per cent.
An IFR survey in November last year – the World Robotics 2024 report – showed that robot adoption in factories around the world was growing at high speed. Global average robot density reached a record 162 units per 10,000 employees in 2023, more than double the number measured only seven years ago (74 units).
IFR says the global market value of industrial robot installations has reached an all-time high of US$16.5 billion. Future demand will be driven by a number of technological innovations, market forces and new fields of business.