The North American robotics industry continued to build momentum in the first half of 2025. New data from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) shows robot orders increased by 4.3% and revenue rose 7.5% compared to the first half of 2024, a promising sign for continued automation investment amid a complex economic landscape.
Automotive Leads First-Half Gains, with Support from Life Sciences and Plastics
North American companies ordered 17,635 robots valued at $1.094 billion in the first six months of 2025. Automotive OEMS led industry growth with a 34% year-over-year increase in units ordered. Other top-performing segments included plastics and rubber (+9%) and life sciences/pharma/biomed (+8%), reflecting broader trends like reshoring, labor shortages, and the push for greater operational efficiency.
Life Sciences and Electronics Drive Q2 Growth
In Q2 alone, companies ordered 8,571 robots worth $513 million, marking a 9.0% increase in units over Q2 2024. Life sciences/pharma/biomed posted the strongest sector growth in the quarter (+22%), followed by semiconductors/electronics/photonics (+18%) and steady gains in plastics, automotive components, and general industry.
“The continued growth in robot orders underscores what we’ve been hearing from our members: automation is now central to long-term business strategy,” said Alex Shikany, Executive Vice President at A3. “It’s not just about efficiency anymore. It’s about building resilience, improving flexibility, and staying competitive in a rapidly changing global market. If these patterns hold, the North American robotics market could outperform 2024 levels by mid-single digit growth rates by the end of the year.”
Collaborative Robots Show Rising Influence
Collaborative robots (cobots) accounted for a growing share of the market with 3,085 units ordered in the first half of 2025, valued at $114 million. In Q2 alone, cobots made up 23.7% of all units and 14.7% of revenue. These systems are increasingly favored for their ability to work safely alongside humans and address automation needs in space- or labor-constrained environments. A3 began tracking cobots as a distinct category in 1Q 2025 and plans to expand future reporting to include growth trends by sector.
Automotive vs. Non-Automotive Sectors in Q2
The non-automotive sector took the lead over automotive in Q2, accounting for 56% of total units ordered. This move reflects the expanding role of automation in industries such as life sciences, electronics, and other non-automotive manufacturing sectors.
More detailed market breakouts and graphs from the Q2 2025 report are available upon request for press and within the A3 Vault for member companies.
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