The Asia-Pacific region was a strong performer in the global robotics industry in 2020. Unit shipments of industrial robots in China amounted to some 168,000 that year. In comparison, there were almost 39,000 units shipped the same year in Japan, which is the next major end user of industrial robots.
The majority of all industrial robots were installed in the electrical/electronics industry.
China's interest in robotics
The Chinese government identified robotics as one of its strategic sectors in 2016 and launched various programs to support Chinese robotics companies and promote the adoption of robots in national manufacturing industries. The main drivers for the use of robots were the rising wages of Chinese workers and the decline in growth of the working-age population. While the number of robots installed in China was rising every year between 2016 and 2019, China's robot density (installed industrial robots per 10,000 employees) was still relatively low in 2020, especially compared to South Korea, Singapore, or Japan.
Unit shipments of industrial robots worldwide in 2020, by country or territory
(in 1,000s)
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IFR. (October 28, 2021). Unit shipments of industrial robots worldwide in 2020, by country or territory (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 27, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1074142/industrial-robots-global-installations-by-country/
IFR. "Unit shipments of industrial robots worldwide in 2020, by country or territory (in 1,000s)." Chart. October 28, 2021. Statista. Accessed December 27, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1074142/industrial-robots-global-installations-by-country/
IFR. (2021). Unit shipments of industrial robots worldwide in 2020, by country or territory (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 27, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1074142/industrial-robots-global-installations-by-country/
IFR. "Unit Shipments of Industrial Robots Worldwide in 2020, by Country or Territory (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 28 Oct 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1074142/industrial-robots-global-installations-by-country/
IFR, Unit shipments of industrial robots worldwide in 2020, by country or territory (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1074142/industrial-robots-global-installations-by-country/ (last visited December 27, 2024)
Unit shipments of industrial robots worldwide in 2020, by country or territory (in 1,000s) [Graph], IFR, October 28, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1074142/industrial-robots-global-installations-by-country/