International Robot Federation Report Reveals 'Robot Density' Status
1,012 Robots per 10,000 Employees... Record High
Indicator to Gauge Manufacturing Automation Level
Last year, the number of robots deployed in the domestic manufacturing industry reached a world-class level, with one robot per 10 employees.
On the 22nd (local time), US Fox Business reported, "According to the 'World Robotics 2024' report recently released by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), South Korea's 'robot density' last year reached 1,012 robots per 10,000 employees." Robot density is an indicator that measures the level of automation in manufacturing by the number of industrial robots per 10,000 employees.
On June 19, a warehouse automation system was demonstrated at Smart Tech Korea 2024 held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
According to the IFR, South Korea's robot density has been growing at an average annual rate of about 5% since 2018. The report mentioned that South Korea is the fifth-largest producer of passenger and commercial vehicles in the world, producing 4.2 million units in 2023, and is a market leader in LCD and memory chip manufacturing, as well as a leading country in electric vehicle battery production, highlighting its high industrial competitiveness. Takayuki Ito, IFR Chairman, said South Korea "has a strong automotive industry and a globally renowned electronics sector."
Singapore ranked second with 770 robots, which is relatively high robot density given its small city-state status with a limited manufacturing workforce. China, which was ranked fifth in 2022 with 470 robots, rose to third place last year, surpassing Germany (429 robots) and Japan (419 robots). China first entered the top 10 in 2019, and its robot density has doubled in four years. The United States ranked 10th with 295 robots. By continent, the European Union (EU) had 219 robots, North America 197, and Asia 182.
The IFR stated in this report, "The adoption of robots in factories worldwide continues at a rapid pace," adding, "The global average robot density last year was 162 robots per 10,000 employees, a record high," which is "more than double compared to seven years ago (74 robots)."
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