The German robotics and automation sector is on track for another record year: the industry is forecasting a 13 percent increase in sales to 16.2 billion euros in 2023. In 2022, companies already recorded a 5 percent sales increase to 14.3 billion euros, says VDMA Robotics.
“The robotics and automation industry is on course for growth,” says Frank Konrad, Chairman of VDMA Robotics + Automation. “The previous turnover record of 15.1 billion euros from 2018 is likely to be significantly exceeded in 2023 with expected sales of 16.2 billion euros. Currently, the market situation is characterized by full order books. During the pandemic, suppliers built up large order backlogs, which are now being gradually worked off as bottlenecks in the supply chains ease. This means our industry is finally leaving the pandemic behind.”
2023 forecast 3 subsectors:
- Machine Vision forecasts an increase of 7 percent in 2023, corresponding to sales of 3.6 billion euros.
- In Integrated Assembly Solutions, the industry expects sales to increase by 17 percent to 8.7 billion euros.
- In Robotics, growth of 12 percent to 3.9 billion euros is expected.
China in the fast lane
According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), around half a million industrial robots were installed worldwide in 2022 – about twice as many as seven years earlier. The international automation race is reflected in the robot density of national economies: with 322 units per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing industry, China already overtook the United States (274 units) in 2021. According to a current forecast by VDMA Robotics + Automation, China will surpass Germany in terms of robot density as early as 2023 and thus achieve a higher level of automation. “With regard to the fierce global competition, there is no time to be complacent. We therefore welcome the initiative of Chancellor Olaf Scholz to strengthen robotics and automation in Germany,” says Frank Konrad.
automatica 2023, June 27-30, 2023, Munich, Germany
“We expect an additional boost for our industry from automatica 2023,” says Konrad. The leading international trade fair for intelligent automation and robotics covers the entire value chain: from components to systems; from services to applications – for all manufacturing industries.
