
The North American robotics market saw a decline in both units ordered (down 7.9% to 15,705 units) and revenue (down 6.8% to $982.83 million) during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3).
“Rising inflation and borrowing costs have dampened spending on robotics, with many companies opting to delay major investments,” says Jeff Burnstein, president, A3. “Despite these challenges, the push for operational efficiency and workforce augmentation continues to drive demand for robotics in industries such as food and consumer goods and life sciences, among others. As companies navigate labor shortages and increased production costs, the role of automation is becoming ever more critical in maintaining global competitiveness.”
Key takeaways:
- Automotive OEMs ordered 4,159 units in the first half of 2024, marking a 14.4% increase over the first half of 2023. However, revenue dropped by 12.0% to $259.96 million.
- On the positive side, food and consumer goods reported a strong performance, with orders surging by 85.6% to 1,173 units and revenue rising 56.2% to $62.84 million. This growth reflects the increasing reliance on robotics for efficiency in food processing and packaging as companies seek to address labor shortages and rising costs.
- Semiconductor and electronics/photonics, however, saw orders fall by 40% to 603 units, with revenue down 41.4% to $23.43 million, possibly driven by slower capital spending in semiconductor production due to global supply chain issues and decreased demand.