The robot and automation industry in the Netherlands is booming with new companies and solutions coming to the forefront. A new market report from automation marketplace HowToRobot.com analyzing the robot and automation suppliers in the Netherlands shows that the Netherlands is quickly becoming a hub for innovation in the industry.

The report, made in a collaboration with the association High Tech NL cluster Robotics and independent advisors Gain & Co, found that the number of suppliers in the Netherlands has grown significantly in recent years, with many new companies entering the market. Over the past 12 years, 11 new automation companies were established every year on average – a 57% increase compared to the number of businesses formed in the prior period. This growth is being driven by a number of factors, including the country’s highly skilled workforce, a strong focus on innovation, and an increasing demand for automation from businesses experiencing labor shortages and competitive pressure. 

"There are a lot of up-and-coming robot and automation companies in the Netherlands that will be interesting to watch. The rate of new businesses opening makes it clear that it is a market that can’t be ignored,” said Søren Peters, CEO of HowToRobot.com.

Growing focus on farming robots and other new applications

The report shows that there are 350 primary robot and automation suppliers operating in the Netherlands, and no less than 37% of them were established in the past 12 years.

“We’re seeing a trend among younger companies to develop and manufacture robot technologies and solutions. Many of these serve industries and applications where automation is still relatively new and not yet employed widely,” said Thijs Dorssers, manager at High Tech NL cluster Robotics.

Farming robots is one area that is seeing fast-growing interest among automation companies in the Netherlands. 74 businesses specialize in solutions for agriculture & forestry – a doubling in 12 years according to the report. The industry is now ahead of the automotive industry, which has historically employed most robots, in number of automation suppliers. Examples of Dutch-developed robots for agriculture include a farm robot for weeding without the use of pesticides; automated grading, sorting, and packaging systems; a tomato-harvesting robot; mobile robots for trolleys in greenhouses; an automatic cow feeder, and many others.

“Many of the automation solutions developed are still at an early stage. With further commercialization and access to funding, there will be growing export potential among automation suppliers in the Netherlands,” said Thijs Dorssers.

About the market report

The report “Market Analysis of Robot and Automation Firms in the Netherlands 2023” is available via HowToRobot.com, including a free preview. 

The report is published by HowToRobot and contains market insights from High Tech NL cluster Robotics, and statistics and company information on 350 primary robot and automation suppliers in the Netherlands, which includes robot manufacturers, integrators, distributors, sub-component suppliers, and advisors researched by HowToRobot and Gain & Co.

Type of suppliers in the Netherlands:

• 62 robot manufacturers
• 200 integrators
• 58 sub-component suppliers
• 15 distributors 
• 15 advisors 

Top industries in the Netherlands that most robot and automation companies are supplying to:

• Logistics: 124 suppliers
• Robotics: 106 suppliers
• Metal & Machinery: 94 suppliers

Top solution types offered by most robot and automation suppliers in the Netherlands

• Handling and picking: 186 suppliers
• Packing & palletizing: 116 suppliers
• Logistics: 82 supplier

Press contacts

• High Tech NL cluster Robotics Emanuela Zanetti, Communication & Events, +31 6 102 89 528, emanuela.zanetti@hightechnl.nl  
• HowToRobot and Gain & Co Elías Lundström, Corporate Communication, +45 53 27 26 73, el@howtorobot.com