Propelled by a surge in nonautomotive sectors, the number of robots sold in North America set a record in 2021, with 39,708 units sold at a value of $2 billion, a 14% increase over the previous high in 2017.
According to new industry statistics released by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the number of robots sold in 2021 rose 28% over 2020. Record robot sales in Q4 2021—up 9% over Q4 2020—demonstrated the strong momentum already realized through the previous nine months as more industries look to automation to increase productivity and alleviate ongoing labor shortages.