Q1 2025 Robot Orders Flat, but Automation Investments will Continue

June 5, 2025

A3 reports a 0.4% increase in North American robot orders during the first quarter of 2025, but a 15% rise in order value, indicating sustained demand for robots and automation systems.

Sara Jensen

Data from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) shows North American robot orders during the first quarter (Q1) of 2025 saw just a 0.4% increase and 15% rise in order value compared to Q1 2024. Although robot orders were essentially flat, the association said the first quarter numbers indicate there is continued demand for robots and investment in higher-value automation systems.

Automotive is one of the sectors helping drive robot demand according to A3’s robot orders report; this sector was the primary growth driver in Q1 with 3,668 units ordered valued at $263 million — a 42% increase in units and a 78% increase in revenue over Q1 2024 the association said.

According to the association’s Q1 robot orders report, most non-automotive sectors saw contraction compared to 2024 except for plastics & rubber which recorded a 12% increase in orders.

Read "Cobot Market to Grow as Adoption in Various Industries Rises" to learn more about the growth A3 and other organizations are forecasting for the cobots segment of the robotics market.

“The first quarter data highlights a continued resilience in automation investment, particularly in the automotive sector, even as manufacturers navigate a complex macroeconomic environment,” said Alex Shikany, Executive Vice President at A3. “At the same time, some sectors are taking a more cautious approach as broader economic uncertainty persists.”

While Q1 growth was minimal, A3 says the long-term outlook for automation investment is positive due to pressures from labor shortages, reshoring strategies, and digital transformation goals. Adoption of various types of robots will be necessary to help companies adapt to these pressures and remain competitive. "Automation is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity for competitive manufacturing," added Shikany.

As hydraulic, pneumatic and electromechanical motion control technologies are commonly used in robots of various types, the continued potential of this market should bode well for those suppliers serving this segment of the industrial automation industry.

Learn more about the benefits of using pneumatics in robotics applications in the article "Pneumatics Provide a Tried-and-True Technology for Robotics."

Scroll through this media gallery to see a breakdown of robot order data from A3's Q1 2025 report.

About the Author

Sara Jensen | Executive Editor, Power & Motion

Sara Jensen is executive editor of Power & Motion, directing expanded coverage into the modern fluid power space, as well as mechatronic and smart technologies. She has over 15 years of publishing experience. Prior to Power & Motion she spent 11 years with a trade publication for engineers of heavy-duty equipment, the last 3 of which were as the editor and brand lead. Over the course of her time in the B2B industry, Sara has gained an extensive knowledge of various heavy-duty equipment industries — including construction, agriculture, mining and on-road trucks —along with the systems and market trends which impact them such as fluid power and electronic motion control technologies.

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