Factories added a record 603,000 robots—but EU installations fell 11%

A record year, led by Asia

Factories worldwide installed 603,000 industrial robots in 2025, up 11% from the year before, lifting the number operating in factories 9% to about 5 million, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) reported. That working fleet is more than twice its size seven years earlier. These figures count conventional industrial robots across factory uses—not five million humanoids, or machines sold in a single year. ifr +1

China accounted for 354,000 new installations, or 59% of the world total, after a 20% annual increase. The United States moved ahead of Japan to become the second-largest market, with about 38,500 installations; Japan recorded 36,219, down 19%. ifr +1

Europe added to its fleet, but bought fewer new machines

The European Union installed 60,500 robots, 11% fewer than in 2024. Yet the number operating in EU factories reached 712,000, passing 700,000 for the first time and standing more than 80% above 2015. The drop is in new additions, not evidence that the existing fleet shrank. euronews +1

Germany remained Europe’s largest market, with 24,842 installations—41% of the EU total—but its count fell 8%. Italy’s installations fell 11% to about 7,800, France’s fell 8% to roughly 4,500, and Spain’s fell 15% to around 4,300. ifr +1

A global boom can hide uneven demand

The figures describe two different things: annual installations are a flow of new equipment, while operational stock is the accumulated base still working in factories. A single-year fall in EU installations can coexist with a much larger, growing installed fleet. Euronews reports the EU stock now represents 84% of robots operating across Europe, giving the regional slowdown a clear boundary: it concerns 2025 additions, not Europe’s entire automation base. euronews

The global growth is also concentrated. Asia installed 457,315 units, up 14%, while the Americas added 57,044, also up 14%; Europe’s new installations declined. China’s 20% jump accounted for nearly all of the net increase in global installations. The Robot Report notes that automotive and electronics have been traditional drivers, while IFR data show rising demand in other sectors, including food, metals and machinery. therobotreport +1

The next benchmark is another forecast

The IFR expects 2026 installations to rise 9% to 655,000 and reach 806,000 by 2029. Those are projections, not orders already placed. The next report will show whether Europe’s 2025 decline was a pause in new investment or the start of a longer divergence from growth in Asia and the Americas. ifr +1