China > Industrial robots in China

Robotics in China

The use of industrial robots is growing dynamically in China

Robots at the automation fair in Shanghai.
Industrial robots at the automation fair in Shanghai 2014. Image © Quest Trend Magazine.

According to the Xinhua news agency from October 2, 2018, industrial robot production rose by almost 20% in the first eight months from January to August.

October 29th, 2018 - China produced over 100,000 industrial robots from January to August 2018. This target was not supposed to be reached until 2020.


In 2017, the production of industrial robots had risen by 81% compared to 2016.


The industrial robots are to be used in automobile production, electronics production, the production of textiles, the chemical industry, aviation and domestic applications.

Robotics at the automation in Shanghai.
Industrial robots at the automation fair in Shanghai 2014. Image © Quest Trend Magazine.

ABB is going to produce 100,000 robots in Shanghai

China has become the second largest market for ABB with a sales volume of $6bn. In Shanghai a factory is to set up for production of robots. This factor is to manufacturer 100,000 roboty per year by the end of 2020, becoming ABB's single largest factory site for robots.


The new factory will set out to "shape the next generation of manufacturing, the next generation of capacity", Chief Executive Officer Ulrich Spiesshofer said in an interview in Shanghai.


As the South China Morning Post reports furthermore, the new plant will also include a research and development centre in artificial intelligence and machine learning. ABB also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Shanghai government to support the city's industry, energy, transport and infrastructure.


(Data according to South China Morning Post)

German machinery industry increasing use of robots by 11% per year

According to a market survey by Quest TechnoMarketing, the use of robots at machines in the German mechanical engineering will increase by 10.7% per year from 2014 to 2018.


By then, more than every second machine builder in the ten automation-relevant sectors will use robots at their machines. And with 21%, every fifth machine will be equipped with robots, an increase by 13% per year.


Despite all the positive experiences of machine builders with the use of robots, the number of new robot users at the machines will increase by only 2.6% each year.