Robot Orders Rise 21% in Q2 as Demand Spreads Beyond Automotive

North American companies ordered 8,940 robots valued at $622 million during the second quarter of 2026, marking a 21.3% increase in revenue compared to the same period last year, according to data released by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). Unit orders grew 4.3% year-over-year.

The quarterly results brought first-half 2026 totals to 17,995 robot units worth more than $1.16 billion, representing 2.0% unit growth and 6.6% revenue growth over the first half of 2025.

Why it matters

The broadening of robot adoption beyond traditional automotive manufacturing signals a fundamental shift in industrial automation. As labor shortages persist and operational costs rise, industries from pharmaceuticals to food processing are turning to robotics to maintain competitiveness. This diversification also reduces the robotics sector's vulnerability to cyclical downturns in any single industry.

Growth Concentrated in Non-Automotive Sectors

The data reveals a notable shift in where automation investment is flowing. Non-automotive customers accounted for 56% of robot units ordered during the second quarter, continuing a multi-quarter trend of diversification.

While automotive OEM orders declined 25% during the first half of 2026, several other sectors posted substantial gains. Semiconductors and electronics led with a 38% year-over-year increase in Q2 orders, followed by automotive components at 20%. Food and consumer goods and metals each grew 18%, while life sciences and pharmaceuticals increased 9%.

For the full first half of 2026, semiconductors and electronics orders jumped 35%, and life sciences and pharmaceuticals surged 32%, effectively offsetting the automotive OEM decline.

Collaborative Robots Gain Traction

Collaborative robots—designed to work safely alongside human workers—represented a significant portion of automation investment. Companies ordered 2,774 collaborative robots valued at $114 million during the first half of 2026, accounting for 15.4% of all robot units ordered and 9.8% of total order revenue.

In the second quarter specifically, collaborative robots made up 12.7% of total units and 7.1% of quarterly revenue.

Adoption patterns varied significantly by industry. In life sciences and pharmaceuticals, collaborative robots accounted for 43.7% of first-half orders, while in semiconductors and electronics they represented 36.5% of orders.

Market Evolution Continues

"The first half of 2026 shows how the mix of the robotics market continues to evolve," said Alex Shikany, A3's executive vice president. "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 OEM is an important trend we'll continue to watch."

The Association for Advancing Automation first reported these findings, which underscore how automation technology is becoming essential infrastructure across diverse manufacturing and production environments.