Sales of industrial robots in the UK reached a new record high with 3,830 units installed in 2023. This is an increase of 51% compared to the previous year. The main driver of the boom has been the automotive industry. These are findings of the report World Robotics 2024, presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
“The UK manufacturing industry has invested heavily in the installation of robotics in 2023,” says Marina Bill, President of the International Federation of Robotics. “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.”
Automotive the strongest driver
Installations in the automotive industry jump 297% to 1,924 units in 2023. These units are mainly used for assembling tasks as several major EV projects were completed. The car segment accounts for a market share of 50%. The food and beverage industry increased their installations by 59% to 555 units. Robot demand from the metal industry was up 20% to 324 units.
Operational Stock
Despite its strong manufacturing industry, 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 with 269,427 units had about nine times as many, Italy with 96,803 units about three times as many and France with 58,572 units about twice as many industrial robots.
Both UK automotive and general industry need to continue to invest in automation to compete internationally.
Outlook
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, robotics installations are expected to fall sharply in 2024, before slowly recovering and returning to growth from 2025 onwards.
