The global collaborative robot (cobot) market topped $1 billion in revenues during 2023, despite overall demand recovering more slowly than expected post pandemic, according to new data from Interact Analysis. Looking to the future, the market intelligence specialist predicts the global market for cobots will see a 22% increase in shipments during 2024 and anticipates similar levels of growth (>20%) each year through to 2028.
Annual revenue growth for cobots was around 11.9% in 2023, despite a challenging year for manufacturing, tough economic conditions, and supply chain issues. Demand for cobots in the automotive and new energy industries remained high last year, but demand for cobots in electronics and semiconductors fell significantly, leading to a small V-shaped trajectory between 2022-24. Orders from the semiconductor and logistics industries are expected to bounce back in 2024, but high interest rates could weaken overall order intake this year.
Interact Analysis Research Manager Maya Xiao, says, “The global cobot market is becoming more refined, as end-users seek out holistic solutions rather than purchasing large pieces of equipment. Over the coming year, we expect to see major cobot vendors target large customers, which could impact capacity and resource allocation.
“Moving forward, China will dominate the global cobots market in the medium term, but it is also the region where average revenue per unit (ARPU) is expected to fall most sharply, as competition in the market increases. The cobot market growth rate in regions other than China will approach that of China after 2025 and the global average market price for cobots is expected to increase slightly between 2023 and 2028 as demand grows for collaborative robots capable of handling larger payloads.”
