Robotics as a search trend within Google has seen a big increase in interest over the previous 5 years and this interest globally has been broadly matched with investment from major governments around the world.
This increase in investment has also carried over to the warehouse industry where many in different sectors (including the 3PL and food industries) have started to invest in robotics solutions within their warehouses.
Using data from Statistica, OrderFlow has taken a look at the European countries that are investing the most in robotics compared to each other, their GDP, and their population. The data from Statistica also shows which countries have seen the biggest increase in revenue from robotics vs 2016.
Germany consistently tops the leaderboard in terms of robotics revenue both in 2016, currently in 2024, and projected in 2028. This matches up with the nation’s investment in robotics and is maintaining them as the market leader within Europe. They have seen a 33% increase in the revenue attributed to the robotics industry.
Looking at total revenue data from 2024 we can see that the UK is second only behind Germany, but with German revenue attributed to robotics over double that of the UK, it is a very distant second. The signs are encouraging for the UK, in terms of the increase in revenue attributed to robotics from 2016 to 2024 the UK has seen one of the biggest increases, ranking 12th with a 129% increase over the previous 8 years. The newly elected Labour government has also promised increased investment in the tech sector.
The biggest increase in revenue came from Belgium which is the stand-out performer when it comes to Western European nations in terms of increased robotics-attributed revenue. Belgium has seen a 242% increase in revenue from robotics and they also have one of the largest percentages of robotics revenue vs total GDP when compared to other nations, second only to Estonia.
Whilst by in large European nations have increased their robotics-attributed revenue over the previous 8 years some have seen a decrease as shown below:
|
Country |
Population |
2016 |
2024 |
2016 vs 2024 |
| Slovakia |
5,795,199 |
245.3 |
66.65 |
-73% |
| Portugal |
10,247,605 |
165.8 |
113 |
-32% |
| Luxembourg |
654,768 |
142.8 |
111.1 |
-22% |
| Armenia |
2,777,970 |
2.42 |
1.89 |
-22% |
| Czechia |
10,670,000 |
214.4 |
170 |
-21% |
| Austria |
8,958,960 |
395.1 |
335.2 |
-15% |
| Georgia |
3,728,282 |
3.53 |
3.09 |
-12% |
| Sweden |
10,612,086 |
336.5 |
316.3 |
-6% |
The data above makes for worrying reading for the likes of Slovakia and Portugal but in general, the countries that have seen a drop or stagnation in terms of robotics revenue growth tend to be lower down the leaderboard. The only exception is Italy which has seen an 8% increase in robotics-attributed revenue, falling way behind the gains made by their Western European counterparts.
The UK drives a lot of revenue from robotics vs other countries, however, that position could be threatened if the investment does not keep up. Belgium, Poland, and Germany are all projected to grow their share over the next 4 years so staying ahead of the technological curve will be essential.
Overall as the data shows the majority of revenue within robotics comes from Western Europe, however, if we were to change the parameters to show the relative increase in robotics-attributed revenue, we can see that the majority of the growth tends to come from Eastern European countries (with Belgium and Switzerland being the outliers). Estonia and Latvia stand out massively in terms of countries that have increased their revenue coming from the robotics industry.
Robotic uses in warehouses may seem a way off but it is already being introduced in forward-thinking organisations. Some of the main benefits include enhanced transportation efficiency, improved safety, and improved inventory management:
Enhanced Transportation Efficiency: Robotics significantly enhances warehouse efficiency through the use of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), which transport goods, reduce manual labour, and minimise errors. These robots continuously optimise workflow by navigating predetermined paths and adjusting routes in real-time (Robotics and Automation) (EU About Amazon).
Improved Safety: Robotics improves safety in warehouses by taking over dangerous and repetitive tasks. Robots can work in environments that may be hazardous to human workers, reducing the risk of workplace injuries. This leads to a safer working environment and enhances overall operational efficiency (Robotics and Automation) (EU About Amazon).
Improved Inventory Management: Robotics enhances inventory management by using RFID scanners and cameras for frequent and accurate inventory checks. These robots update inventory systems in real time, reducing discrepancies and enhancing decision-making. This leads to optimal stock levels, reduced storage costs, and improved customer satisfaction through timely order fulfillment (UK Research and Innovation) (UK Research and Innovation).
If you are interested in the full data set this can be found here
enquiries@orderflow-wms.co.uk
+44 (0)1249 750564