Annual investments in robots rose to world record $16.5 billion in 2018

WASHINGTON – Robot shipments are expected to jump 39 percent from 2018 to 2022 from a record annual sales level of $16.5 billion last year, according to the World Robotics report. More than a third of global installations are in China and the top five countries -- also including Japan, Korea, the U.S and Germany -- hold 74 percent of the market. China's investment in robots reached $5.4 billion last year. "We saw a dynamic performance in 2018 with a new sales record, even as the main customers for robots -- the automotive and electrical-electronics industry -- had a difficult year," said Junji Tsuda, President of the International Federation of Robotics. "The U.S.-China trade conflict poses uncertainty to the global economy -- customers tend to postpone investments."