Robot Sales Surge in Europe, Asia and the Americas – IFR Reports
June 22, 2022 | Business WireEstimated reading time: 1 minute

Sales of industrial robots have reached a strong recovery: A new record of 486,800 units were shipped globally – an increase of 27% compared to the previous year. Asia/Australia saw the largest growth in demand: installations were up 33% reaching 354,500 units. The Americas increased by 27% with 49,400 units sold. Europe saw double digit growth of 15% with 78,000 units installed. These preliminary results for 2021 have been published by the International Federation of Robotics.
“Robot installations around the world recovered strongly and make 2021 the most successful year ever for the robotics industry,” says Milton Guerry, President of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). “Due to the ongoing trend towards automation and continued technological innovation, demand reached high levels across industries. In 2021, even the pre-pandemic record of 422,000 installations per year in 2018 was exceeded.”
Across industries
In 2021, the main growth driver was the electronics industry (132,000 installations, +21%), which surpassed the automotive industry (109,000 installations, +37%) as the largest customer of industrial robots already in 2020.
Europe
In 2021, industrial robot installations in Europe recovered after two years of decline - exceeding the peak of 75,600 units in 2018. Demand from the most important adopter, the automotive industry, moved at a high level sideways (19,300 installations, +/-0%). Demand from metal and machinery rose strongly (15,500 installations, +50%), followed by plastics and chemical products (7,700 installations, +30%).
The Americas
In the Americas, the number of industrial robot installations reached the second-best result ever, only surpassed by the record year 2018 (55,200 installations). The largest American market, the United States, shipped 33,800 units – this represents a market share of 68%.
Asia
Asia remains the world’s largest industrial robot market: 73% of all newly deployed robots in 2021 were installed in Asia. A total of 354,500 units were shipped in 2021, up 33% compared to 2020. The electronics industry adopted by far the most units (123,800 installations, +22%), followed by a strong demand from the automotive industry (72,600 installations, +57%) and the metal and machinery industry (36,400 installations, +29%).
Testimonial
"The I-Connect007 team is outstanding—kind, responsive, and a true marketing partner. Their design team created fresh, eye-catching ads, and their editorial support polished our content to let our brand shine. Thank you all! "
Sweeney Ng - CEE PCBSuggested Items
Kaynes Circuits to Invest $570 Million in PCB Tech India’s Tamil Nadu State
08/07/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamKaynes Circuits India, a subsidiary of Kaynes Technology India, announced on Aug. 4 that it plans to invest roughly $570 million over the next six years in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, the Economic Times reported.
Global Excellence in PCB Design: The Global Electronics Association Expands to Italy
08/07/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationIn today's rapidly evolving electronics industry, printed circuit boards (PCBs) serve as the critical backbone influencing the success, reliability, and time-to-market of countless products. Recognizing this essential role, the Global Electronics Association (formerly IPC), a worldwide leader in electronics standards, certification, and education, is now expanding its internationally acclaimed PCB design training to Italy.
AI Is the Golden Track Reviving Electronics and PCBs
08/06/2025 | Edy Yu, Chief Editor, ECIO, and the I-Connect007 Editorial TeamRemember 2021? Despite COVID, the electronics industry hit a high. Then came the slide. By 2023, the industry was deep in the red. With inflation, policy shifts, and exchange rate shocks, the problems were long, and the outlook was bleak. Recovery finally appeared in 2024, but it was fragile. Automotive electronics slumped, wireless demand stayed soft, and the ride up was anything but smooth. Yet, amid the uncertainty, one bright track emerged: artificial intelligence (AI).
Review: PCEA Orange County Summer Meeting
08/06/2025 | Dan Feinberg, Technology Editor, I-Connect007The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) represents a community of engineers, designers, and industry influencers dedicated to the advancement of PCB technology, design, and manufacturing, and the growth and knowledge of its membership. PCEA regularly hosts events to share the latest developments, best practices, and visions for the future of electronic design and manufacturing. The Orange County chapter seems to be one of the largest and most active ones and I was invited to attend the latest chapter event on July 24 in Costa Mesa, California.
Register Now for the HATS²™ Technical Day at GEN3 HQ
08/05/2025 | GEN3GEN3 a world-leading manufacturer of testing, measurement and production solutions for electronics reliability. Headquartered in Farnborough, UK, GEN3 is announcing the final call for registrations to attend the exclusive HATS²™ Technical Day — a hands-on, live demonstration event showcasing the Highly Accelerated Thermal Shock Tester (HATS²™), the groundbreaking innovation from industry pioneer Bob Neves.