Industrial automation equipment and robotics stand at the core of modern manufacturing transformation. Globally, the market is led by European and Japanese companies such as Siemens, Yaskawa, Panasonic, and Mitsubishi, which have built long-term advantages through technological innovation, broad product portfolios and integration into key industrial sectors. The United States emphasises frontier applications in humanoid robots and the integration of robotics with AI across logistics, defence and healthcare, while Europe focuses on combining robotics with AI governance and advanced manufacturing standards. Japan and South Korea remain leaders in precision robotics and automation excellence.
China entered the automation sector later but is rapidly catching up, supported by national policies promoting intelligent manufacturing and industrial upgrading. Domestic firms are increasing R&D and improving independent capabilities, with local brands already achieving 43% market share in 2021. In robotics, China has become the world’s largest producer and consumer, with output rising from 33,000 units in 2015 to 556,000 units in 2024, and sales maintaining global leadership for 12 consecutive years. Applications now extend beyond automotive and electronics into new energy, biomedicine, logistics and semiconductors, supported by the 14th Five-Year Plan emphasises breakthroughs in core technologies and industrial clusters.
Both industrial automation and robotics present significant opportunities as manufacturing shifts towards intelligent, flexible and data-driven operations. In China, relatively low automation penetration compared with the scale of its manufacturing base highlights substantial room for growth.
Key opportunities include:
- Core technologies such as high-end control systems, precision reducers, servo motors and intelligent controllers;
- Vertical applications in healthcare, energy, logistics and biomedicine;
- Ecosystem development, linking upstream innovation with downstream deployment through industrial clusters and supportive policies.
Companies that can balance technological sovereignty with global integration will be best positioned to capture value in the next generation of intelligent manufacturing infrastructure.