China manufactured 40,175 industrial robots in May, up 3.8% year on year, China’s National Bureau of Statistics said.
Data released by the bureau also shows that in the first five months of this year, the nation’s industrial robot production totaled 182,161 units, an increase of 5.3% from the same period last year.
The growth of industrial robot production mirrors the overall rebound of China’s industrial sector.
In May, the output of industrial companies with an annual revenue of 20 million yuan (US$2.8 million) and more rose 3.5% over the previous year and edged up 0.63% month on month.
In the January-May period, their income was 3.6% higher than a year earlier.
The performance of these firms is considered a key barometer of a country’s economic vigor.
A sustained boom in demand from 3C, new energy vehicle and photovoltaic industries led the uptick of industrial robot adoption.
According to GGII, a robot- and automation-focused market intelligence provider, China’s industrial robot sales hit 303,000 units in 2022, 15.96% more than in 2021, and is projected to exceed 670,000 units by 2026.
A sales number breakdown indicates that domestic lithium-ion battery makers bought more than 20,000 industrial robots, of which 15,000 were six-axis robots and 12,800 were SCARA robots.
The sales volume of industrial robots to the lithium battery industry is expected to reach 74,300 units in 2025.
By contrast, the PV segment was a smaller consumer of industrial robots in 2022, with 23,800 units purchased. No figure breakdown is available.
As the EV and PV domains continue to gain momentum, industrial robots are set to experience faster expansion, GGII predicted.
