Ranking of countries according to the density of industrial robots

A total of 74 robots per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing industries. This is the average of industrial robots installed worldwide in 2016 according to the latest figures provided by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). The previous year, the average number of robots was 66.

By regions, Europe stands at the head with an average of 99 robots per 10,000 workers in the manufacturing industry. America has 84 robots, while in Asia the average is 63 units. However, if we analyze growth in the period 2010-2016, the continent that grows most is Asia (9%), followed by America (7%) and Europe (5%).

The ranking of countries with the highest number of industrial robots per capita is headed by South Korea, with 631 robots per 10,000 industrial employees. The second place is Singapore (488) and the third is for Germany (309). Japan is the fourth country in this ranking (303) and Sweden the fifth (223).

The United States holds the seventh position (189 robots), while Spain appears in number 11 (160 robots for every 10,000 employees in the manufacturing industry).

The country in the world that has increased more rapidly in the last years the density of robots in the manufacturing industry is China, which has increased from 25 units per 10,000 workers in 2013 to 68 units in 2016. Currently, China occupies ranked number 23 in this ranking and its goal is to rank among the top ten in 2020, according to IFR.

South Korea is the leading country in industrial robotization since 2010, thanks especially to the robots that are used in the electronics and automotive industries.

Japan, which is the fourth country in the ranking, is the leading global manufacturer of industrial robots. In 2016 it was able to produce 153,000 units, which has served to respond to 52% of the global demand for robots.

In Europe, Germany is the leading country in both installed robots and sales of industrial robots. The five European countries with the highest density of robots in the manufacturing industry complete with Sweden, Denmark, Italy and Spain. The only country in the G7 that is not above the world average is the United Kingdom (71 units per 10,000 employees).