Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of industrial robots during 2017.

1. Japan: US$2.2 billion (36.6% of total industrial robots exports)
2. Germany: $858.5 million (14.2%)
3. Italy: $392.5 million (6.5%)
4. France: $332.8 million (5.5%)
5. United States: $303.3 million (5%)
6. China: $207.9 million (3.4%)
7. South Korea: $198.7 million (3.3%)
8. Denmark: $185.3 million (3.1%)
9. Austria: $184.1 million (3%)
10. Taiwan: $166.6 million (2.8%)
11. Sweden: $153.7 million (2.5%)
12. Luxembourg: $100.6 million (1.7%)
13. Netherlands: $93.6 million (1.6%)
14. United Kingdom: $72.6 million (1.2%)
15. Canada: $71 million (1.2%)

The listed 15 countries shipped 91.6% of global industrial robots exports in 2017 by value.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing industrial robots exporters since 2013 were: Luxembourg (up 926.1%), Denmark (up 446.5%), United Kingdom (up 124.3%) and France (up 97.2%).

Only one top exporter posted a decline in its international sales of industrial robots, namely the Netherlands via its -27.5%.

The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for industrial robots during 2017. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported industrial robots and its import purchases for that same commodity.

1. Japan: US$2.2 billion (net export surplus up 76.8% since 2013)
2. Germany: $380.7 million (up 7.7%)
3. France: $213.5 million (up 275.2%)
4. Italy: $199 million (up 48%)
5. Denmark: $149.1 million (up 1,623%)
6. Sweden: $110.6 million (down -9.4%)
7. Austria: $101.6 million (up 20.5%)
8. Finland: $39.4 million (up 1463.7%)
9. Taiwan: $36.6 million (up 303.8%)
10. Luxembourg: $30.6 million (up 1,493%)
11. Israel: $20.8 million (up 240.2%)
12. Netherlands: $13 million (up 69.5%)
13. Hong Kong: $5.3 million (down -34.1%)
14. Croatia: $5.1 million (reversing a -$752,000 deficit)
15. Malta: $2.7 million (reversing a -$350,000 deficit)

Japan has the highest surplus in the international trade of industrial robots. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms Japan’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.

The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for industrial robots during 2017. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s import purchases of industrial robots and its exports for that same commodity.

1. China: -US$1.1 billion (net export deficit up 99.3% since 2013)
2. Mexico: -$199.8 million (up 96.2%)
3. United States: -$133.3 million (up 314.8%)
4. Czech Republic: -$109 million (up 128%)
5. Turkey: -$75.8 million (down -37.8%)
6. India: -$70.8 million (down -11.8%)
7. Malaysia: -$70.3 million (up 65.1%)
8. Brazil: -$66.8 million (down -47.2%)
9. Poland: -$57.6 million (up 68.3%)
10. Vietnam: -$54.6 million (up 124%)
11. Thailand: -$43.5 million (up 1.5%)
12. Slovakia: -$41.3 million (up 165.8%)
13. Belgium: -$32.2 million (down -35.6%)
14. Portugal: -$30.6 million (up 76.3%)
15. South Africa: -$28 million (down -56.7%)

China incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of industrial robots. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights China’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for industrial robots-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.

Top Robotics Exporting Companies

According to PlantAutomation-Technology.com, the following businesses comprise the world’s top industrial robotics companies.

• ABB Group (Switzerland)
• Adept Technology Inc (United States)
• Apex Automation and Robotics (Australia)
• Aurotek Corp (Taiwan)
• Fanuc Corp (Japan)
• Kawasaki Robotics Inc (Japan)
• Mitsubishi (Japan)
• Rockwell Automation Inc (United States)
• Stäubli (Switzerland)
• Yaskawa Electric Corp (Japan)