China tops global industrial robot count with over 1.8 million units

China leads the world in industrial robot deployment, operating more than 1.8 million units and adding roughly 290,000 new robots in 2023. That year's installations accounted for over half of all new industrial robots worldwide, leaving no other nation close to its scale.

Japan remains the largest exporter of industrial robots, producing about 45% of global output. The market is dominated by manufacturers such as Japan's FANUC and Yaskawa Electric, Switzerland's ABB Robotics, Germany's KUKA (now part of China’s Midea group) and Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Chinese firms—including Estun, Efort, Siasun, Inovance and Hikrobot—are expanding rapidly under the Made in China 2025 strategy and now represent roughly half of the new robot installations within China.