China’s Industrial Robot Installations Hit Record as Automation Reshapes the Factory Floor

14.06.2026 2 Min Read

China installs 276,000 industrial robots in 2025. Domestic brands capture 52% of market as automation reshapes Chinese manufacturing.

276,000 robots installed in 2025 — more than the rest of the world combined

China installed 276,000 industrial robots in 2025, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), maintaining its position as the world’s largest robot market for the 11th consecutive year. The installations brought China’s total operational industrial robot stock to approximately 1.8 million units, with a robot density of 392 per 10,000 manufacturing workers.

The growth is driven by three factors: rising labor costs (average manufacturing wages in coastal China have tripled in a decade), government subsidies for automation equipment, and the need for precision manufacturing in sectors like electronics and EVs.

Chinese robot brands gain ground

Domestic robot manufacturers captured 52% of the Chinese market in 2025, up from 35% in 2020. The leading Chinese brands — Estun, Siasun, Inovance, and EFORT — have improved quality significantly and now compete directly with ABB, Fanuc, KUKA, and Yaskawa in mid-range applications.

“Chinese robots are 30-40% cheaper than imported alternatives and increasingly comparable in performance for most applications,” said Li Mingde, general manager of Estun Automation. “For welding, painting, and material handling, there’s no reason to pay more for foreign brands.”

Cobots and service robots

The fastest-growing segment is collaborative robots (cobots), which work alongside humans without safety fencing. China’s cobot market grew 45% in 2025, driven by demand from small and medium-sized manufacturers that can’t afford full automation. Companies like AUBO, JAKA, and Han’s Robot are the market leaders.

Service robots — used in logistics, healthcare, and hospitality — are also booming. The delivery robot market alone grew 60% in 2025, with Meituan and JD.com deploying tens of thousands of autonomous delivery vehicles across Chinese cities.

The skills gap

Rapid automation creates a paradox: the more robots a factory installs, the more skilled workers it needs to program, maintain, and supervise them. China faces a shortage of roughly 3 million robotics technicians, according to the Ministry of Human Resources.

Technical colleges are rushing to fill the gap. Enrollment in robotics and automation programs at Chinese vocational schools increased 80% between 2022 and 2025. But the quality of training varies widely, and many graduates lack hands-on experience with the latest equipment.