North American robot orders increased by 4.3% and revenue rose 7.5% in the first half of 2025 compared to the first half of 2024, a promising sign for continued automation investment amid a complex economic landscape, a report from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) says.
By the numbers, North American companies ordered 17,635 robots valued at $1.094 billion in the first six months of 2025. Automotive OEMS led industry growth with a 34% year-over-year increase in units ordered. Other top-performing segments included plastics and rubber (+9%) and life sciences/pharma/biomed (+8%), reflecting broader trends like reshoring, labor shortages, and the push for greater operational efficiency.
However, the non-automotive sector took the lead over automotive in Q2, accounting for 56% of total units ordered. This move reflects the expanding role of automation in industries such as life sciences, electronics, and other non-automotive manufacturing sectors, A3 found.
“The continued growth in robot orders underscores what we’ve been hearing from our members: automation is now central to long-term business strategy,” Alex Shikany, Executive Vice President at A3, said in a release. “It’s not just about efficiency anymore. It’s about building resilience, improving flexibility, and staying competitive in a rapidly changing global market. If these patterns hold, the North American robotics market could outperform 2024 levels by mid-single digit growth rates by the end of the year.”
Looking at market categories, collaborative robots (cobots) accounted for a growing share of the market with 3,085 units ordered in the first half of 2025, valued at $114 million. In Q2 alone, cobots made up 23.7% of all units and 14.7% of revenue. These systems are increasingly favored for their ability to work safely alongside humans and address automation needs in space- or labor-constrained environments, A3 said.
