New Manufacturing Race Is Being Won Through Automation

Automation at scale is becoming the main source of manufacturing competitiveness in emerging markets.

• Global industrial robot installations reached approximately 603,000 units in 2025, up 11%, while the operational stock rose 9% to 5.08 million robots.
• China installed 354,200 industrial robots in 2025, more than nine times the US total, and accounted for roughly 59% of global installations.
• South Korea had the highest robot density at 1,220 robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees, compared with 818 in Singapore, 307 in the United States, and 166 in China.
• China’s robot density increased 17% year over year and exceeded the global average of 132, while India and South Korea are supporting automation through manufacturing incentives and smart-factory subsidies.
• Precision reducers, servo motors, actuators, controllers, and sensors are strategic bottlenecks because their concentrated supply influences robot performance, while large installed bases generate data that can improve software and autonomy.

Takeaway: Countries and companies that build large robot fleets, automation infrastructure, and supporting data ecosystems may gain durable manufacturing advantages, with China combining the strongest scale and emerging markets such as South Korea leading on automation intensity.