According to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), 51% of manufacturers and logistics companies are more willing to invest in automation as a result of the pandemic.

Indeed, it was reported that orders of industrial robots in North America surged 20% year on year in the first quarter. Following the impact of the pandemic, more companies felt ready to implement automation, with two-thirds of respondents stating they were increasing spending on automation or artificial intelligence.

Moreover, it was showcased that automotive OEMs and component suppliers still remained the largest buyers of industrial robots at 2,147 and 2,448 unit orders, respectively. Yet, the study noted that the metals and life sciences, pharmaceutical, and biomedical industries witnessed the most year-on-year growth, up nearly 86% and almost 72%, respectively.

This adoption of robotics can be explained by the huge advancements in automation technology as well as significant labor shortages in manufacturing and robotics.