North American robot sales in the first nine months of 2022 reached record levels, with all indications pointing to 2022 ending with the highest number of robots sold in a year for the second year in a row.
According to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), from January to September 2022, North American companies purchased 35,804 units valued at $1.875 billion, up 24 percent for units ordered and 27 percent for revenue over the same period in 2021.
Jeff Burnstein, president of A3, says: “Ongoing labor shortages, easier-to-use robotic solutions and new industries embracing robotics, such as restaurants, retail, construction and even agriculture, have led to record units sold here in North America this year.
“Investing in automation is increasingly seen as a necessary step for performing many of the difficult-to-staff tasks that are necessary to compete today, and we see 2022 ending on another record high.”
In Q3 2022 alone, North American companies ordered 11,901 robots valued at $626 million, up 20 percent and 22 percent respectively over the third quarter of 2021. This is the second highest quarter ever, after Q2 2022.
Similar to Q2 2022, automotive-related customers ordered more robots in the third quarter of 2022 than non-automotive customers, with 55 percent of units going to the automotive industry and 45 percent going elsewhere.
On the non-automotive side, the semiconductor/electronics (44 percent), life sciences (33 percent) and food/consumer goods (1 percent) industries ordered more robots than the same quarter last year.
Burnstein says: “As we’ll see at trade shows like Automate, innovative companies around the world are emerging with automation solutions for tasks such as drywall finishing, shelf-scanning, food preparation and service, fruit picking, hospital delivery and more.
“While interest in robots might fluctuate during any quarter in any given industry, the steadily increasing numbers shows the value more industries see in investing in automation.”
Find out more about the latest in cutting-edge robotics as well as vision, artificial intelligence, motion control and more, at Automate 2023, the leading automation showcase in North America. Registration for the four-day show, scheduled for May 22-25 in Detroit, is free.
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