Overall the value of exported industrial robots in 2019 rose by an average 32% for all exporting countries since 2015 when total shipments of industrial robots were valued at $4.2 billion. Year over year, exports of industrial robots declined by -9.6% from 2018 to 2019.
From a continental perspective, suppliers in Europe sold the highest value in exported industrial robots at $2.8 billion or 50.1% of the global total. Close behind in second place was Asia at 43.8%, trailed by exporters of industrial robots in North America at 5.9%. Smaller percentages came from Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia and New Zealand, Latin America (also 0.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Africa (0.04%).
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 847950. That sub-code is specific to industrial robots used for multiple purposes.
Top Industrial Robots Exporters
Top 15
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of industrial robots during 2019.
- Japan: US$1.6 billion (28.5% of exported industrial robots)
- Germany: $669.4 million (12%)
- Italy: $462 million (8.3%)
- France: $335.2 million (6%)
- Denmark: $259.4 million (4.6%)
- China: $240.4 million (4.3%)
- United States: $224.8 million (4%)
- South Korea: $204.2 million (3.7%)
- Netherlands: $157.3 million (2.8%)
- Austria: $155.2 million (2.8%)
- Sweden: $137.1 million (2.5%)
- Taiwan: $136 million (2.4%)
- Singapore: $128.9 million (2.3%)
- Belgium: $117.9 million (2.1%)
- United Kingdom: $108.7 million (1.9%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 88.3% of globally exported industrial robots in 2019.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of industrial robots since 2015 were: Denmark (up 385.9%), Singapore (up 305%), Netherlands (up 255%) and Belgium (up 140.3%).
Two countries posted declines in their international sales of industrial robots: Sweden (down -13.7%) and South Korea (down -13.3%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for industrial robots during 2019. 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.
- Japan: US$1.5 billion (net export surplus up 9% since 2015)
- Germany: $251.2 million (up 22.4%)
- Italy: $240.6 million (up 41.2%)
- Denmark: $215.3 million (up 1316.4%)
- France: $162.7 million (up 66.3%)
- Sweden: $92.7 million (down -24.9%)
- Austria: $78.1 million (down -16.5%)
- Singapore: $62.9 million (reversing a -$21.8 million deficit)
- Taiwan: $31.1 million (reversing a -$36.5 million deficit)
- Finland: $25.5 million (down -1.3%)
- Hong Kong: $22.8 million (down -2279.5%)
- Luxembourg: $22.7 million (reversing a -$1 million deficit)
- South Korea: $21.8 million (down -76.8%)
- Netherlands: $21.1 million (reversing a -$118.5 million deficit)
- United Kingdom: $14.2 million (reversing a -$32.1 million deficit)
Japan earned 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.
Opportunities
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for industrial robots during 2019. 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.
- China: US-$749.5 million (net export deficit up 13.5% since 2015)
- United States: -$220 million (up 127.6%)
- India: -$145.1 million (up 113.1%)
- Mexico: -$136.2 million (down -67.8%)
- Czech Republic: -$133.6 million (up 61.5%)
- Morocco: -$129.8 million (up 996.6%)
- Brazil: -$92.1 million (down -7.4%)
- Poland: -$90 million (up 101.3%)
- Vietnam: -$81.9 million (up 763.9%)
- Malaysia: -$72.8 million (up 75%)
- Thailand: -$45.9 million (up 40.3%)
- Turkey: -$45.9 million (down -33.1%)
- Slovakia: -$43.9 million (down -18%)
- Spain: -$42 million (up 9.1%)
- South Africa: -$39.3 million (up 141.7%)
The People’s Republic of 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.
Companies
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)
See also Top Surveying Equipment Exporters by Country, Heart Pacemaker Export Sales by Country, Top Artificial Joints Exporters by Country and Hearing Aids Importers by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 26, 2020
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 26, 2020
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 26, 2020
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 26, 2020
PlantAutomation-Technology.com, Top Industrial Robotics Companies. Accessed on May 26, 2020
Zepol’s company summary highlights by HTS code. Accessed on May 26, 2020