Used Robots Are Swarming In

Full-Scale Development of the Used Serving Robot Market This Year
A New Era of Buying and Selling Used Robots Like Cars

The used serving robot market is expected to be fully established this year. Serving robots were first commercialized in 2019, and from the second half of the following year, the number of units in use began to increase, reaching a scale of 3,200 units by 2021. Considering that many were rented under three-year contracts to ease the burden on restaurants, the volume of returned used serving robots could significantly increase starting this year. Until now, used transactions of serving robots have only occasionally occurred between individuals who purchased them. However, with the increase in used robots from this year, a market is expected to form, and companies are preparing response strategies.

On the 13th, serving robot company Birobotics announced plans to launch a certified used program in March. Birobotics was established this year as a spin-off from Woowa Brothers' serving robot business. As of last year, it operated 1,200 serving robots in about 700 stores. Its new distribution target for this year is over 1,300 units. Separately, through the certified used program, Birobotics aims to make it easier to dispose of or refurbish robots even after the usual 36-month contract period.

Serving Robot

With the certified used program, restaurants are expected to be able to use serving robots at a more affordable price. Kim Minsu, CEO of Birobotics, said, "As the serving robot business passes the three-year mark, customers who signed contracts with a typical 36-month term may want to replace or dispose of their robots. We believe such demand will gradually increase, and by operating a certified used program based on the know-how we have accumulated, if we can create a platform for used serving robots, this market can grow more healthily," he explained.

VD Company is also considering the used market. As of the end of last year, the company supplied over 3,000 robots to about 2,000 locations nationwide, the largest supply volume. However, until now, VD Company mainly handled 'ownership-type' products where serving robots were sold via lump-sum or installment payments, and only introduced rental products that can be returned after a certain period starting last year. VD Company plans to observe the market formation rather than immediately preparing strategies for returned used robots.

Industry insiders estimate that about 5,300 serving robots were sold domestically by the end of last year. This year, the market is expected to grow more than twice compared to the previous year. Although the timing of companies' response strategies may differ, it is clear that the used market will form alongside the growth of the serving robot market.

A platform for buying and selling used robots has also emerged. Big Wave Robotics, which operates the platform "My Robot Solution" that matches robot suppliers and demanders, launched a used robot marketplace in the second half of last year. This marketplace handles not only used serving robots but also industrial robots and collaborative robots. Consultations are available if a robot is needed.

Experts view the formation of a used market as one of the very important factors for the growth of the robot market. Yang Seungyun, a researcher at Eugene Investment & Securities, said, "The used robot market is expected to record an average annual growth rate of about 40%. We can expect expanded robot utilization and active transactions through price reductions and robot recycling." The era of buying and selling used robots, like cars, has arrived.