The first Italian market report from the global robot hub HowToRobot.com has mapped the robot market and automation suppliers in all of Italy. And the report shows an unredeemed potential for growth in the robotic industry.

“The number of robot and automation suppliers in Italy has grown steadily over the last 40 years and there is a great potential for further growth – both locally and abroad,” says CEO of HowToRobot.com, Søren Peters.

Last year, the total number of robot and automation companies in Italy was 691 – up from 513 twenty years before according to the report.

Global robot trend provide fuel for further robot growth in Italy

A key growth driver for Italy’s robot companies is their unique experience with serving the Italian manufacturing industry. Italy is the country with most manufacturing companies in Europe – most being small or medium-sized. This will be a particular strength in the years to come according to Søren Peters:

“We see a global trend, where robot technologies become more available for smaller and medium-sized companies than before. The Italian robot suppliers have a special advantage by being experienced with these types of customers”, he says.

The robot and automation suppliers in Italy have one of the largest potential customer bases in Europe when compared to similar countries with a high number of yearly robot installations. No less than 547 local manufacturing companies (e.g. potential customers) exist in Italy for every robot and automation supplier, according to data from the report. This shows that there is room for even more robotics companies in Italy to serve the future needs of especially small and medium-sized companies.

Italy’s robot industry is strongly positioned within Textile and Cosmetics

Also internationally, Italy’s robot industry has the potential to gain an even stronger foothold.

There are especially two markets where Italy has a strong position – the textile and cosmetic industry. Local robot suppliers serving these industries can use this specialization for expanding their products and know-how to similar markets worldwide.

“Suppliers in Italy are already serving a huge domestic market, and by playing on their key strengths they are well-positioned to gain a larger market share internationally. To get international success, it is very important to be visible for the customers and the communication must be targeted to the international audience,” Søren Peters, CEO of HowToRobot, says.

The full report is available here.

Italy is ranking as the 6th country in the world with the most robotic installations according to the International Federation of Robotics. At the same time, each robotic company in Italy covers a potential customer base of far more companies than any other similar nation with a relatively high robot density.