After three years of declining or modest growth since the pandemic, robot installations in Spain saw a sharp uptick last year. The growing sales are supported by a robotics industry strongly focused on implementation, the report, which was published today, found.

The Spanish robotics industry is home to the largest share of integrators, known for implementing automation solutions, of any market covered by HowToRobot. 73% of the country’s 488 robot and automation suppliers were identified as integrators according to the research behind the report.

“The global labor shortages and market uncertainty triggered by Covid have increased the need for automation solutions and integrators capable of serving the immediate needs of end-users,” says Søren Peters, CEO of HowToRobot, elaborating further:

“In this environment, suppliers have to respond quickly and communicate how their solutions solve end-users’ needs most in the most cost-effective way,” he adds.

In 2022, sales of industrial robots in Spain increased by 15% according to AER Automation, with most robots sold to the automotive, metal & machinery, and food & beverages industries.

“The huge growth figures for robotics in Spain show that we are starting to reach the pre-pandemic record levels of installations – and we expect growth to continue,” said Alex Salvador, Managing Director of AER Automation.

Service robots made in Spain are on the rise

While integrators in Spain mainly implement industrial robots manufactured abroad, the situation is different regarding service robots, particularly mobile robots.

Spain is home to a large and growing base of domestic suppliers producing and exporting mobile robots. 25% of the robotics companies in Spain specialize in solutions for logistics & storage according to the market report. Last year, this segment also saw massive growth: The number of service robots sold grew by 25.8% according to AER Automation, with 79% of sales happening within transport and logistics (mainly intralogistics).

Furthermore, roughly 80% of all service robots made in Spain are exported, highlighting the global footprint of the Spanish robotics industry within this segment.

Highlights from the market report

The ‘2023 Market Overview of Robot and Automation Companies in Spain’ is based on research conducted by HowToRobot.com in collaboration with AER Automation. Some of the key findings include:

• The robotics industry in Spain contains 488 suppliers; among these, 354 integrators, 65 component suppliers, 40 robot manufacturers, 24 distributors, and 5 advisors.
• The top industries served by most robotics suppliers include robotics (315 suppliers), metal & machinery (281 suppliers), and logistics (223 suppliers).
• The top applications that most robotics suppliers specialize in are handling & picking (298 suppliers), packing & palletizing (202 suppliers), and inspection & quality control (164 suppliers).
• 37% more robot and automation businesses were established in Spain during 2015-19 than in 2010-14. Since 2020, only a few new companies have been established.

The full report contains insights about the market for robotics and automation in Spain, statistics on robotics companies, and a complete data sheet containing every supplier identified in the research. The report is available at HowToRobot.com.

About HowToRobot

HowToRobot.com is the leading global automation marketplace that connects buyers with suppliers of robots and automation solutions. Every day, we match businesses in need of automation with relevant suppliers and solutions from our fast-growing network of robot and automation companies. Our market insights, guides, and digital tools help businesses understand their automation needs and connect them with the solutions specific to their needs.

About AER Automation

AER Automation is the leading Spanish association of Robotics and Automation, a non-profit organization born in 1985. A founding member of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR, 1987) and a member of the CEOE (Spanish Confederation of Employers’ Organizations). With more than 100 members, AER Automation covers the whole value chain of automation.