China, Japan and US- Major Global Robot Manufacturers
The demand for industrial robots has been on the rise in recent years as the manufacturing sector continues to grow in different parts of the world. Despite the installation of industrial robots being characterized by unique challenges, some regions are emerging as frontrunners in leveraging on the technology.
The report presented by Buy Shares indicates that China, Japan, and the United States cumulatively control about 58.71% of the global industrial robot installations. As of September 2020, there were 381,000 units of industrial robots globally. China accounts for the largest share at 140,500 units, followed by Japan at 49,900 units. The U.S is third with 33,300 installed units.
The research also overviewed the annual installation of industrial robots worldwide between 2009 and 2019. Between the ten years, the installation grew by 535%. Notably, in 2018, the installation stood at 422,000 before dropping by 9.7% to 381,000 in 2019.
The industrial robot market is also expected to grow following the unprecedented situation as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. In the course of the crisis, many factories had to protect their employees by shutting down some production plants. The pandemic creates a potential market for the industry as it is part of preparing for any similar pandemic in the future.
Additionally, the capability of robots in fighting such a pandemic emerged in March this year. For example, Chinese hospitals ordered about 2,000 UVD robots to help in detecting viruses and bacteria through ultraviolet light and kill them.
Although industrial robots have been taunted as a game-changer, some manufacturers are facing some challenges in implementing the systems. There is a need for having employees with special skill sets to operate the robots which require a new level of expertise. Industrial robots also introduce many new safety hazards and manufacturers have to prepare for this before the robots are installed. Additionally, the cost of the system is holding many countries back from implementing industrial robot units.
