Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

EU member nations post 6% rise in industrial robot installations

Top five countries in 2022 were Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Poland, says IFR

robotics Screen Shot 2023-07-05 at 10.00.34 AM.png

The European Union´s (EU) 27 member states installed almost 72,000 industrial robots in 2022–up 6% year-on-year—according to preliminary figures from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

“The top five adopting countries within the EU are Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Poland,” IFR President Marina Bill said in a release. “They account for about 70% of all industrial robots installed within the EU in 2022.”


Germany is by far the largest robot market in Europe, having installed about 26,000 units (+3%) in 2022 for a 37% share of total EU installations. That growth was led by the automotive sector, followed by the general industry, and the plastic and chemical products industries. Worldwide, the country had the fourth highest robot density, following Japan, Singapore, and the Republic of Korea.

Italy is the second largest robot market in Europe, with an all-time high of almost 12,000 units (+10%) installed in 2022 for a 16% share of total EU installations. IFR pointed to the country’s metal and machinery industry, followed by the plastic and chemical products and the food & beverages industry.

France took third place as annual installations went up by 15% with a total number of 7,400 units, less than a third the number of neighboring Germany. However, IFR said that the French government’s $108 billion stimulus package for investment in smart factory equipment that came into effect mid-2021 will create new demand for industrial robots in the next few years. 
 

 

Recent

More Stories

Just 29% of supply chain organizations are prepared to meet future readiness demands

Just 29% of supply chain organizations are prepared to meet future readiness demands

Just 29% of supply chain organizations have the competitive characteristics they’ll need for future readiness, according to a Gartner survey released Tuesday. The survey focused on how organizations are preparing for future challenges and to keep their supply chains competitive.

Gartner surveyed 579 supply chain practitioners to determine the capabilities needed to manage the “future drivers of influence” on supply chains, which include artificial intelligence (AI) achievement and the ability to navigate new trade policies. According to the survey, the five competitive characteristics are: agility, resilience, regionalization, integrated ecosystems, and integrated enterprise strategy.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

screen shot of returns apps on different devices

Optoro: 69% of shoppers admit to “wardrobing” fraud

With returns now a routine part of the shopping journey, technology provider Optoro says a recent survey has identified four trends influencing shopper preferences and retailer priorities.

First, 54% of retailers are looking for ways to increase their financial recovery from returns. That’s because the cost to return a purchase averages 27% of the purchase price, which erases as much as 50% of the sales margin. But consumers have their own interests in mind: 76% of shoppers admit they’ve embellished or exaggerated the return reason to avoid a fee, a 39% increase from 2023 to 204.

Keep ReadingShow less
robots carry goods through a warehouse

Fortna: rethink your distribution strategy for 2025

Facing an evolving supply chain landscape in 2025, companies are being forced to rethink their distribution strategies to cope with challenges like rising cost pressures, persistent labor shortages, and the complexities of managing SKU proliferation.

But according to the systems integrator Fortna, businesses can remain competitive if they focus on five core areas:

Keep ReadingShow less
shopper uses smartphone in retail store

EY lists five ways to fortify omnichannel retail

In the fallout from the pandemic, the term “omnichannel” seems both out of date and yet more vital than ever, according to a study from consulting firm EY.

That clash has come as retailers have been hustling to adjust to pandemic swings like a renewed focus on e-commerce, then swiftly reimagining store experiences as foot traffic returned. But even as the dust settles from those changes, retailers are now facing renewed questions about how best to define their omnichannel strategy in a world where customers have increasing power and information.

Keep ReadingShow less
artistic image of a building roof

BCG: tariffs would accelerate change in global trade flows

Geopolitical rivalries, alliances, and aspirations are rewiring the global economy—and the imposition of new tariffs on foreign imports by the U.S. will accelerate that process, according to an analysis by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Without a broad increase in tariffs, world trade in goods will keep growing at an average of 2.9% annually for the next eight years, the firm forecasts in its report, “Great Powers, Geopolitics, and the Future of Trade.” But the routes goods travel will change markedly as North America reduces its dependence on China and China builds up its links with the Global South, which is cementing its power in the global trade map.

Keep ReadingShow less