2 minute read - 24th September 2024
UK robot installations reach new record high according to IFR report
Sales of industrial robots in the UK reached a new record high with 3,830 units installed in 2023, according to findings in the 2024 World Robotics report, produced by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). This is an increase of 51% compared to 2022, with the automotive industry the main driver of this increase.
In the UK, installations in the automotive industry jumped 297% to 1,924 units in 2023, with the IFR adding that these units are mainly used for assembling tasks as several major EV projects were completed – the automotive sector accounts for a 50% market share of robot sales. The food and beverage industry increased installations by 59% to 555 units and robot demand from the metal industry was up 20% to 324 units.
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Sales of industrial robots in the UK reached a new record high with 3,830 units installed in 2023, according to the International Federation of Robotics / Picture: Getty/iStock
Despite its strong manufacturing industry, the IFR says the UK’s use of robotics and automation is rather low for a Western European country. Operational stock reached 28,831 units, up 9% in 2023. By comparison: Germany has around nine times as many with 269,427 units, Italy has around three times as many with 96,803 units, and France with 58,572 units has around twice as many industrial robots. Many would agree with the IFR that both the UK automotive and general industry need to continue to invest in automation to compete internationally.
Marina Bill, president of the International Federation of Robotics, said: “The UK manufacturing industry has invested heavily in the installation of robotics in 2023. A massive tax break for investment in plant and machinery expired after the first quarter of 2023. This so-called ‘super deduction’ has reportedly boosted investment.”
The IFR concluded that after the end of the ‘super deduction’ in 2023, only a few investment announcements have been made by the automotive industry, which will come into effect in 2025 and 2026. As a result, it expects UK robotics installations to fall sharply in 2024, before slowly recovering and returning to growth from 2025 onwards.
Compared to the UK’s operational stock of 28,831 units, Germany has around nine times as many with 269,427 units / Picture: Getty/iStock
Looking to Europe, industrial robot installations rose 9% to a new high of 92,393 units. In total, 80% of installations in 2023 could be attributed to destinations in the European Union (73,534 units, up by 2%). Delayed projects were completed and robot demand in the region also benefited from the nearshoring trend. In 2023, growth was strongly driven by the automotive industry investing in traditionally strong car manufacturing countries such as Spain (5,053 units +31%) but also in smaller markets such as Slovakia (2,174 units, +48%) or Hungary (1,657 units, +31%).
Installations in Germany, the largest European market and the only European one in the global top five, were up 7% to 28,355 units. Installations in the second largest European market, Italy, declined by 9% to 10,412.
