ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 11, 2026 – North American companies ordered 8,940 robots valued at $622 million in the second quarter of 2026, according to new data released by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). Compared to the second quarter of 2025, this represents a 4.3 per cent increase in units ordered and a 21.3 per cent increase in revenue. Second-quarter results brought first-half totals to 17,995 units valued at $1.166 billion, representing two per cent growth in units and 6.6 per cent growth in order value over the first half of 2025.
General Industry Continues to Offset Automotive-OEM Softness
The first half of 2026 continued a trend that has been building over the past several quarters: robotics demand is becoming increasingly diversified across industries. While automotive-OEM orders declined 25 per cent compared to the first half of 2025, growth in automotive components and several general industry sectors helped offset that decline, including:
- Semi and electronics/photonics: +35 per cent units
- Life sciences/pharma/biomed: +32 per cent units
- Automotive components: +24 per cent units
- Food and consumer goods: +17 per cent units
- Plastics and rubber: plus six per cent units
- All other industries: plus six per cent units
- Metals: plus three per cent units
Second-Quarter Growth Broadens across Key Manufacturing Sectors
Several industries posted double-digit year-over-year gains in robot orders during the second quarter. Semi and electronics/photonics increased 38 per cent year over year, while automotive components grew 20 per cent. Food and consumer goods and metals each increased 18 per cent, and Life sciences/pharma/biomed posted nine per cent growth. Non-automotive customers accounted for 56 per cent of robot units ordered during the quarter, continuing the trend of robots being adopted across a variety of industries.
Collaborative Robots Remain an Important Part of the Market
Collaborative robots continued to represent a significant portion of automation investment during the first half of 2026. Companies ordered 2,774 collaborative robots valued at $114 million, accounting for 15.4 per cent of all robot units ordered and 9.8 per cent of total order revenue. In the second quarter alone, companies ordered 1,137 collaborative robots valued at $44 million, representing 12.7 per cent of total units and 7.1 per cent of quarterly revenue.
Collaborative-robot adoption remained particularly strong in life sciences/pharma/biomed and semi and electronics/photonics, where collaborative robots accounted for 43.7 per cent and 36.5 per cent of first-half robot orders, respectively.
“The first half of 2026 shows how the mix of the robotics market continues to evolve,” said Alex Shikany, Executive Vice President at A3. “Automotive remains an important driver of demand, while we’re also seeing growth across a wider range of industries. Results were not uniform across every sector, but the breadth of growth outside automotive OEMs is an important trend we’ll continue to watch.”
Manufacturing Conditions Continue to Support Automation Investment
Despite continued uncertainty across the broader economy, manufacturers continued investing in automation during the first half of 2026. Manufacturing PMI remained in expansion territory for a sixth consecutive month in June, with new orders and production continuing to grow. Federal Reserve data also showed manufacturing output 1.1 per cent above its year-earlier level in June.
While the timing of large automotive-OEM projects and broader economic conditions will continue to influence quarterly results, the first-half data suggests manufacturers continue to view automation as a long-term investment in competitiveness.
Go Beyond the Headlines with MI+
More detailed market breakouts and graphs for Q2 2026 are available upon request for press and within the A3 Vault for member companies. For deeper insights, A3 members can subscribe to MI+, the Association’s premium market-intelligence platform, featuring forecasts, dashboards, and in-depth reporting to support better decision making.
About Association for Advancing Automation
The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) is the leading global advocate for the benefits of automating. A3 promotes automation technologies and ideas that transform the way business is done. Members of A3 represent more than 1,450 manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, academic institutions, research groups and consulting firms that drive automation forward worldwide.
