Industrial robots are typical mechatronic digital equipment with high technological added value and a wide range of applications. As a supporting technology for advanced manufacturing and an emerging industry in an information-based society, they are playing an increasingly important role in future production and social development. The “World Robotics 2025″ report released by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) shows that the global robotics market continues to have a positive outlook. In 2024, approximately 542,000 new industrial robots will be installed globally, bringing the total number in operation to 4.664 million units, a year-on-year increase of 9%. This scale is more than double that of ten years ago. IFR expects that by 2025, the global installation volume will grow by 6% to 575,000 units, and by 2028, it will exceed 700,000 units. Among them, the growth in the Asian market is particularly notable, accounting for 74% of the global new deployments in 2024.
After more than half a century of development, industrial robots have been applied in more and more fields. In the manufacturing industry, especially in the automotive sector, industrial robots have been widely applied. In processes such as stamping, die-casting, and forging, as well as in operations like machining, welding, heat treatment, surface coating, loading and unloading, assembly, inspection, and warehouse stacking, robots have gradually replaced manual labor. IFR data shows that in 2024, the automotive and parts industry in China will still be the largest application field for industrial robots, followed closely by the electronics industry.
As industrial robots develop in deeper and broader directions and the level of intelligence continues to improve, the application range of robots is continuously expanding. They have been promoted from the automotive manufacturing industry to other manufacturing sectors and have further extended to non-manufacturing industries such as mining, construction, and the maintenance and repair of In addition, in the fields of national defense and military, medical and health care, and life services, the application of robots is also increasing. In China, industrial robots have now covered 71 major categories of the national economy and are playing an important role in improving the quality of human life.
The practical application of industrial robots in many production fields has proven that they play a remarkable role in improving the level of production automation, enhancing labor productivity, product quality, and economic benefits, as well as improving workers’ working conditions. This has attracted widespread attention from countries around the world and all sectors of society. With a robot density of 1,220 units per 10,000 employes, South Korea ranks first in the world. China has more than 2 million industrial robots in operation, and the United States, Japan, Germany and other manufacturing powerhouses are also continuously increasing their investment in automation. It is foreseeable that the robot industry will be developed more rapidly and applied more widely.
Robotic technology is an important component of high technology. Although significant achievements have been made in its industrialization process in our country, there are still many difficulties and shortcomings. According to data from the China Business Industry Research Institute, the output of industrial robots in China will reach 773,100 units in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 28%. Data from the General Administration of Customs shows that in the same year, industrial robot exports will increase by 48.7% year-on-year, surpassing imports for the first time. However, the localization rate of core components such as high-end reducers and servo motors still needs to be improved, and the costs of automation transformation and the shortage of specialized talent in small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises remain prominent. Therefore, more attention and support from various aspects are needed.
National policy support is an important prerequisite for accelerating the industrialization of high-tech industries. In recent years, the “14th Five-Year Plan” for the development of the robotics industry and the “Robot + Application Action Implementation Plan” have been successively implemented. In 2025, the State Council issued the “Opinions on Deepening the Implementation of the ‘Artificial Intelligence + ‘ Action,” and embodied intelligence was included in the “15th Five-Year Plan” outline. Humanoid robots have been listed as key directions for strategic emerging industries and future industries. The industrialization of robots in China must be driven by the market. The research and development of robots should start from the technical feasibility, prioritize the selection of application fields, and use this as a breakthrough point to penetrate and spread to other fields. At the same time, the government should further optimize the business environment, reduce the innovation costs of enterprises thru tax incentives and financial support, strengthen the training and introduction of talents, and fill the gap of professional talents in high-tech fields. Only thru the deep integration of government, industry, academia, research, and application can we promote the transition of China’s robotics industry from “manufacturing” to “intelligent manufacturing,” achieving high-quality and sustainable development.
Post time: Aug-15-2026
