Q3 industrial robot orders put 2021 on track for biggest year yet

Strong robot sales in the third quarter of 2021 bring the total number of orders so far this year to nearly 29,000 units valued at $1.48 billion, the best numbers ever recorded for the North American robotics market. According to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), these numbers show increases of 37% in units sold (up from 21,072) and 35% in value (up from $1.09 billion) over the same period in 2020 and surpass the previous highest record from 2017 by 5.8% and 0.5%.

In Q3 alone, North American companies ordered 9,928 robots valued at $513 million, up 32% and 35% respectively over the third quarter of 2020. This marks the third highest quarter ever in units ordered and fifth highest in value. A3’s figures for this announcement are focused on industrial robots, meaning robots with articulating arms.

“With labor shortages throughout manufacturing, logistics and virtually every industry, companies of all sizes are increasingly turning to robotics and automation to stay productive and competitive,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of A3. “As our latest statistics indicate, sales are on track to make 2021 the biggest year ever for robotics orders in North America. We see many current users expanding their applications of robotics and automation throughout their facilities while first time robotics users are emerging in a wide range of industries such as automotive, agriculture, construction, electronics, food processing, life sciences, metalworking, warehousing and more.”

In the first nine months of 2021, automotive-related orders increased 20% year over year to 12,544 units ordered. Non-automotive orders outpaced this growth, expanding 53% to 16,355 units ordered, marking only the second time non-automotive orders have surpassed automotive-related orders in the first nine months of a year (2020).

In Q3 2021 specifically, nearly two-thirds of sales (6,302) came from non-automotive industries, further demonstrating the trend of robotics growing into areas outside of automotive OEM and tier suppliers. Unit sales from non-automotive industries in Q3 saw the following increases over the same quarter in 2020:

• Metals: 183%
• Food and Consumer Goods: 40%
• Semi and Electronics/Photonics: 26%
• Plastics and Rubber: 10%
• All Other Industries: 97%

Manufacturer and A3 member 3M has experienced the trends firsthand. “3M is seeing an upswing in providing automated solutions and processes for our customers, but as a manufacturer ourselves, we are also increasingly investing in automation,” said Carl Doeksen, global robotics/automation director, 3M’s Abrasive Systems Division. “The pandemic put a spotlight on the benefits that automated processes bring—from the ability to ramp-up and scale-up production quickly and efficiently, to helping improve the lives of our employees, our customers, and their families.”