Industrial robotsIFR forecasts growth pause at record level
The 'World Robotics Report 2019' published by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) reports a global record sales value of 16.5 billion US dollars for industrial robotics in 2018. After a pause in growth this year, double-digit growth is set to resume.
The automotive industry is still the world's largest user of robots, accounting for almost 30% of the total supply. The electrical and electronics industry was on the verge of replacing the automotive industry as the most important customer for industrial robots in 2017. However, global demand for electronic devices and components fell significantly in 2018. The metal industry and mechanical engineering established themselves as the third-largest customer industry, accounting for around 10% of total demand in 2018.