Material handling robotics refer to robotic systems that are designed for material handling applications such as pick and place, palletizing/depalletizing, packing/co-packing, tray packing, case packing etc. They are typically used in the manufacturing, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, logistics, and warehousing industries to perform various tasks such as sorting, waste removal and collecting raw material. Their advantages include reduced operational and labor costs, enhanced safety, improved productivity and efficiency as well as consistent quality. With rising labor costs and demand for productivity in industries, the use of robots for material handling is on the rise.
The global Material Handling Robotics Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 24.21 Bn in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 10% over the forecast period 2024 to 2031.
Key Takeaways
Key players operating in the material handling robotics are ABB, Kuka AG, FANUC Corporation, Yaskawa Electric Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Universal Robots, Denso Corporation, Epson Robots, Stäubli International AG , Omron Corporation, Nachi-Fujikoshi Corporation, Comau S.p.A. and Adept Technology, Inc. ABB holds the leading position in warehouse automation and Material Handling Robotics Market with over 30,000 robots deployed.
The growing demand for automation across industries due to rising labor costs and need for productivity and efficiency is fueling the adoption of material handling robots. Their enhanced capabilities of handling heavy payloads, improved precision and accuracy are increasing their deployment in manufacturing facilities.
Adoption of material handling robots is growing globally with Asia Pacific being the largest and fastest growing regional market. Factors such as industrialization, growth of e-commerce, rising labor costs and availability of skilled labor are driving increased deployments of material handling robots across APAC countries.
Market Key Trends
Collaborative robots are emerging as a major trend in the material handling robotics market space. Cobots (collaborative robots) are designed to work alongside humans without safety guards or fencing, presenting an opportunity for integration into value-added tasks. Their ability to work safely in the same workspace as humans and learn new tasks from worker guidance is making them ideal for applications such as order picking, product assembly, machine tending etc. In the coming years, collaborative robot adoption in warehousing and logistics is expected to grow significantly.
Porter’s Analysis
Threat of new entrants: High upfront investments required to enter a very capital-intensive material handling robotics market poses significant barrier.
Bargaining power of buyers: Buyers have moderate bargaining power due to availability of substitutes and differentiated product offerings from various manufacturers.
Bargaining power of suppliers: Suppliers have moderate bargaining power due to availability of component suppliers and possibility of forward integration by large players.
Threat of new substitutes: Threat of substitutes is moderate as material handling robotics provides operational efficiency over manual labor.
Competitive rivalry: Intense competition among global giants as well as regional players to gain market share through product innovation and partnerships.
Geographical Regions
The material handling robotics market regional analysis in terms of value is highly concentrated in East Asia and Europe. China being the world’s largest manufacturing hub is leveraging robotics heavily for automation across industries like automotive, electronics and food & beverages. Germany, Italy and other Western European nations also account for significant share owing to rapid adoption across automotive, rubber & plastics sectors.
The material handling robotics market is expected to witness the fastest growth in Southeast Asia & Pacific region during the forecast period. Countries like India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand are investing in automation to enhance manufacturing capabilities and meet growing domestic demand. With government initiatives to develop smart manufacturing hubs and Special Economic Zones, the material handling robotics deployments will significantly ramp up across industries in the region.
About Author - Money Singh
Money Singh is a seasoned content writer with over four years of experience in the market research sector. Her expertise spans various industries, including food and beverages, biotechnology, chemicals and materials, defense and aerospace, consumer goods, etc. LinkedIn Profile