Gantry Industrial Robots Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (1-Axis, 2-Axis, 3-Axis, 4-Axis, & Others), By Application (Handling, Palletizing, Welding & Others), By Industry (Packaging, Automotive, Pharmaceuticals, Food & Beverage, Semiconductors & Electronics, Heavy Engineering Machinery, Aerospace & Railway, & Others), and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028

The global gantry industrial robots market size was USD 2.41 billion in 2020. The global impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented and staggering, with gantry industrial robots witnessing a positive demand shock across all regions amid the pandemic. Based on our analysis, the global market exhibited a declining growth of -5.3% in 2020. The market is projected to grow from USD 2.52 billion in 2021 to USD 4.65 billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 9.1% during the 2021-2028 period. The rise in CAGR is attributable to this market’s demand and growth returning to pre-pandemic levels once the pandemic is over.

Considering the current market scenario, in order to maintain optimal utilization of resources, the companies are moving towards automation. To cater these requirements, robots were introduced for industrial use. The first industrial robot, “Unimate” manufactured by Unimation, was operated by General Motors on its assembly line. With the introduction of robots in the industries, many processes which required precision with increased output were automated.

Gantry robots are types of industrial robots that consist of a manipulator installed at overhead systems, which allow movement across parallel planes. These robots are also referred to as cartesian robots and linear robots. The robots are easier to program as they work on X, Y, Z coordinates systems. Along with that, they are not limited by fewer floor space restraints. Cartesian gantry robots are designed based on applications such as gripping technology & axis options, thus offering required flexibility and maximum output. Cartesian robots work in parallel with other operations since they work above or below the work envelop, resulting in less cost of operations and more floor space for different tasks. These robots provide many operational applications, benefiting in the manufacturing process and material handling for many industries. Additionally, gantry robots have an added advantage, as they can access machines and products from overhead for a smooth process.

The cartesian gantry system works on cartesian coordinate systems (X, Y, Z), which means that these robots move in a straight line on three axes (side to side, in and out & up and down). These are the most popular industrial machines as they provide high speed, variety in stroke length, precision, and variable size of the operation.

COVID-19 Pandemic: Disruptions in the Manufacturing Sector to Hinder Growth Prospects

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations have faced a decline in their market growth. The adoption of industrial robots is considered highly significant during this period to overcome the challenges faced during the pandemic across the globe.

Lockdown & shutting down compliances of manufacturing industries is expected to lead to higher adoption of these robots shortly. This compliance has created inconvenience in several parts of the world & across economies, their manufacturing units, dispersing laborers. Though automation & the use of industrial type of robots has substantial use & growth in this pandemic, the unemployment factor will be adversely affected as automation will reduce the requirement of the human workforce. Less human interaction could be a positive effect as it will reduce the spread of the virus, but simultaneously it will increase unemployment among people.

Major industries such as electronic/electrical, food & beverages & others are likely to adopt industrial robots to increase their market growth and enhance their product segments. Advanced technologies will help them gain a considerable market share and manufacture a good quality product. On a regional basis, the leading players in major countries have already acquired advanced technologies & industrial robots in their business. Due to the pandemic, the other regions that lack the use of technologies will also opt for industrial type of robots to bring the change in their products & stand with competitiveness.

Although, in this pandemic, the huge initial investment involved in deploying the industrial robots could hinder the market growth, especially for the small-medium enterprise. However, the cost will be recovered in a few months. The major participants are using many business strategies during this emergency phase to sustain their company. The development of these robots by advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things is expected to create more room for investment in the forecast period.  

Furthermore, even the government agencies are also contributing towards the growth by introducing major schemes to encourage manufacturing sectors & assisting the companies in thriving in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.  Also, the increased productivity of the assembly lines is anticipated to enhance demand over the forecast period.

LATEST TRENDS

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Heavy Investments by Automotive Players & Venture Capitalists to Amplify Growth

The prominent players are emphasizing more on Research & Development of the integration of AI & advanced sensors which will have a tremendous impact on the market during the forecast period. For Instance, A cloud-based management company VNDLY received a massive investment from the Madrona Venture Group, a venture capitalist. The growth in funding by venture capitalists for designing & manufacturing industrial robots will stimulate strong market growth in the foreseeable future. Also, the growing agreements & deals with major vital players will further enhance the market's potential. The increasing demand for automated machinery & robots in the food & beverage industry will surge business opportunities in the prospective years.

However, the considerable capital expenditure needed for integration, procurement, accessories, programming, and maintenance can be an obstacle in the growth. The steady return on investments (ROI) & low-volume production by small and medium enterprises will further hinder the development of the market. The primary factors such as the rise in the adoption of automation in the automotive manufacturing process and the inclusion of AI & digitization are driving the demand for industrial robots in the automotive sector. These industrial robots are aids in decreasing the cost of wastage & product failure. Additionally, the average labor cost rises constantly & therefore, automotive companies prefer to adopt these robots.

With the automation of production units, these robots even reduce the required human workforce, increasing the demand for robots.

Also, the automotive manufacturers are focusing on more investment in production flexibility. While striving for higher flexibility in production processes, they are also improving safety by adopting technology.

DRIVING FACTORS

Ongoing Automation and Continued Innovation to Improve Technical Efficiency of the Robots

The rapid production and delivery of customized products at competitive prices are the main reasons to automate the production process. Automation enables manufacturers to keep or to relocate production in established economies without sacrificing cost-efficiency. Automation in the manufacturing process increases the consistency of production with more precision & accuracy. Robots improve overall productivity besides using fewer resources.

Integration of intelligent systems in automation has improved the production process alongside making it human-friendly with reduced complexity of machine controls. This will enable localization and regionalization of the manufacturing process resulting in catering to customer demands in local markets with short production lead time and reduced political risks.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

High Investment Involved at Initial Stage & Required Maintenance May Impede the Market 

With no initial experience, a robot automation project for small-medium companies can be an obstacle. The huge investment & high expenditure are needed for programming, integration & maintenance, and locating the robots. Also, some companies require customized integration which could increase the overall cost. For the deployment of robots, space & infrastructure are required. However, some may not have that much capacity.

Generally, small-medium enterprises are involved in low-volume production. Therefore gaining the return on investment (ROI) could be a challenge. High spending is required for procurement, integration, programming, accessories & maintenance of these industrial robots, which some SMEs may not be able to afford. Additionally, excessive automation can also be troublesome for companies. As this could lead to cost overruns, the product lines and consumer’s demand might change over the period of time & therefore, many robots became obsolete or unnecessary.

However, it is expected that these industries will witness a substantial boost in coming years, the sales volume anticipated to arise in the near future, and they will overcome challenges after the pandemic.

SEGMENTATION

By Type Analysis

The 4- Axis Robots is Likely to Generate Significant Revenue Share Due to its multiple applications

The type segment in the scope of the study includes 1 – axis, 2 – axis, 3 – axis, 4 – axis and other gantry industrial robot types. 

The 4 – axis linear industrial robots are expected to have a major share as every industry majorly uses these robots for various purposes varying from manufacturing to material handling. The growth of these types of robots is also expected to boost the market along with the 3 – axis robots as these are not limited to one application. The 4 – axis robots are projected to have significant gantry industrial robots market share. This owed to their demands from industries such as automotive, packaging, aerospace & railway, among others. 

The 1 – axis and 2 – axis robots are expected to show steady growth during the forecast period owing to their limited application. The 2 – linear axis robots are anticipated to have a significant market share as they are widely accepted in welding, semiconductor & electronics, and the plastic industry. These types of robots are expected to have a major impact in the small and medium industries as they perform limited tasks but with more precision and control, aiding the industries to increase their overall efficiency.

The 6 – axis cartesian robot trend is likely to exhibit a steady yet recognizable growth owing to their usage for applications such as palletizing, handling of materials, and others. Regardless of the huge scope of these axis types of robots, the cost involved in the installation & operation is comparatively higher. Furthermore, these are mostly installed at places with wide spaces and large operations, limiting growth opportunities.

By Application Analysis

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Palletizing Application is Expected to Have Major Market Share During the Forecast Period

The application segment covered in this report includes handling, palletizing, welding, and others (dispensing). Palletizing is widely used by packaging, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and plastic industries, making it one of the significant applications. Handling is anticipated to show substantial growth as required in almost every large, medium and small enterprise. The handling includes tasks such as pick and place, transportation of products from one place to another, and others.

Welding and others (dispensing) are projected to witness steady growth during the forecast period as they have a predefined set of applications. Moreover, the welding industry is witnessing moderate growth and is expected to grow considerably during the forecast period resulting in steady growth for its related sectors.

By Industry Analysis

The Automotive Segment to Exhibit Significant CAGR during the Forecast Period

The industry segment considered in the scope includes packaging, automotive, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, semiconductors & electronics, heavy engineering machinery, aerospace & railway, and others (plastic industry, etc.). The advantage in the automotive industry is expected to boost the gantry industrial robots market growth. The business of passenger cars has become gradually intricate over the decade as a substantial proportion of the production procedures nowadays require automation solutions using robots. Makers of hybrid and electric cars are experiencing robust demand for a broader range of car models, just like the customary car manufacturers. This transformation is expected to fuel the gantry robots' demand during the forecast period.

Semiconductors & electronics is expected to share a significant market growth driven by elements such as the rising production & demand of electronic components & integrated chips. Furthermore, packaging, heavy engineering machinery, and the food & beverage industry are projected to have significant growth during the forecast period, which is estimated to enhance the development of this market.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

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Asia Pacific generated a revenue of USD 1.17 billion in 2020 and is anticipated to emerge as the prevalent region in this market during the forecast period. China remains the world´s largest robot market, with a similar number of robots installed in Europe and the Americas together. This result is in line with China´s policy to promote domestic manufacturers.  

Countries like Japan and China are expected to experience increasing demand for these robots due to the dominant presence of many local and global robot manufacturers in the region. These companies have a strong product portfolio, focusing on catering to the demand from the developing economies, which includes Vietnam, India, Malaysia, and other economies in the MEA and South America regions. Furthermore, with increasing growth in comparison with developed economies, prominent manufacturers in the market are focusing on manufacturing and increasing consumer base and opportunities in these countries.

North America is projected to witness steady growth during the forecast period. Owing to the ongoing trend of automated production to strengthen the U.S. industries in domestic and global markets. Moreover, Europe as a whole is predominantly far advanced regarding automation. This is evident from the robot density existing in the automotive industry. Furthermore, the highly developed nature of automation in Europe is also clear from looking at the manufacturing industry.

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The Middle East & Africa, and Latin America are expected to grow at a moderate rate during the forecast period. The growth is owed to the initiatives taken by the government to increase production quantity along with rising investments from the public sector.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Prominent Players Focus on Innovative Application for Robotic Systems

The market is moderately fragmented as this is a relatively new market when compared to other markets in the power electronic solutions domain. The market is growing with increasing technological advancements, and there are many well-known brands in the market, along with some regional key players, to cater to the increasing demands.

The leading players such as Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., TOSHIBA MACHINE CO., LTD, Liebherr, ABB Ltd., Kuka AG, FANUC CORPORATION have a dominant position acquiring ~45% of the market size. These gantry robot manufacturers focus on setting up their plants in emerging and developing economies to maintain their market share. These economies are proven to be cost-effective and high output regions as they have an abundance of resources and government initiations to boost the manufacturing sector.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED:

• Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Japan)


• TOSHIBA MACHINE CO., Ltd. (Japan)


• Liebherr (Germany)


• ABB Ltd. (Switzerland)


• Kuka AG (Germany)


• FANUC CORPORATION (Japan)


• PARKER HANNIFIN CORP (U.S.)


• Sage Automation Inc. (U.S.)


• Bosch Rexroth AG (Germany)


• Gudel Group AG (Switzerland)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• April 2021: KUKA AG presented the first look at its new operating system, iiQKA.OS that will significantly simplify robot use. This new operating system provides a base of an entire ecosystem & includes access to a robust selection of components, programs, apps, services, and equipment that are easy to install, operate and use to enhance the system.


• March 2019: Liebherr's launched LP 200 gantry robot. This robot is mostly appropriate for handling smaller and agiler components

REPORT COVERAGE

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The global gantry industrial robots market research report provides a detailed analysis of the type, application, and industries. It provides information about leading companies and their business overview, types, and leading applications of the product. Besides, it offers insights into the competitive landscape, SWOT analysis, current market trends and highlights key drivers and restraints. In addition to the factors above, the report encompasses several factors contributing to the market's growth in recent years.

Report Scope & Segmentation