China has overtaken Japan in robotics acquisitions after it purchased 36,560 industrial robots last year while Japan acquired 26,015 units, according to the International Federation of Robotics.

China's robotics acquisitions for 2013 increased from the 2012 record of 23 robots per 10,000 people working in the manufacturing industry. The number was comparable to that of South Korea’s 396.

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Chinese web portal Yicai reported that the growth in industrial robotics acquisition was due to increasing labor costs and tough competition to boost industrial efficiency.

Zurich-based ABB’s group senior VP and head of robotics Per Vegard Nerseth said the Chinese industrial sector has been a fast growing market for robotics. He projected that the sector would exponentially expand its robotics acquisition in the next few years.

Solidiance, a consultation firm, said the demand for robotics in China has been fueled by a big number of multinational companies operating in the country. The automobile industry in China holds the biggest need as 60 percent of its operation relies on industrial robotics.

International Federation of Robotics president Arturo Baroncelli said that large numbers of manufacturing firms have already turned to utilizing robotics to counter the expensive labor costs. He added that other emerging industries aside from the automobile and semiconductors markets could use industrial robotics to strengthen the economy of the country.

However, Solidiance’s Greater China operations head Pilar Dieter said many Chinese factories would rather let their workers haul heavy loads of boxes than acquire robotics equipment such as elevating platforms.

On the other hand, Germany’s Kuka, ABB group and Fanuc from Japan are some of the multinational firms competing to take the lead in the Chinese industrial robotics market.

Half of China’s robotics acquisition in 2013 was bought from six Japan-based robotics companies. A mere 5 percent of industrial robotics were ordered from  four local manufacturing companies.

TagsIndustrial robotics, International Federation of Robotics, Arturo Baroncelli