Frankfurt, Apr 08, 2026 — Economies worldwide are prioritising the integration of factory robots, as automation becomes a critical tool for boosting productivity. In the global automation race, the Western European countries reached a record 267 robots per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing industry 2024 – ahead of North America with 204 units and Asia with 131 units. This is according to the World Robotics 2025 report, presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
Robot density surges in Europe, Asia and Americas © International Federation of Robotics
“The robot density metric provides a uniform basis for comparison by relating the total number of robots used in a country to its economic size, as measured by its workforce,” says Takayuki Ito, President of the International Federation of Robotics.
Robot density by region
The Western European countries recorded a robot density increase of 3% year-on-year. Eight countries are within the global top 20, which are Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Belgium & Luxembourg, France, and Spain. The European Union (EU-27) has a robot density of 231 units, which is above the global average of 132 units per 10,000 employees. (....)