North American companies ordered 8,940 robots valued at $622 million in Q2 2026, according to new data from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). This represents a 4.3% increase in units and a 21.3% increase in revenue year-over-year. First-half totals reached 17,995 units valued at $1.166 billion, up 2% in units and 6.6% in value compared to H1 2025.
Key takeaways
- Automotive OEM orders fell 25% in H1, but growth in other sectors offset the decline: Semi & Electronics/Photonics +35%, Life Sciences +32%, Automotive Components +24%, Food & Consumer Goods +17%.
- Non-automotive customers accounted for 56% of robot units ordered in Q2, underscoring broadening adoption.
- Collaborative robots represented 15.4% of all units and 9.8% of revenue in H1, with particularly strong uptake in Life Sciences (43.7% of orders) and Semi & Electronics (36.5%).
- Manufacturing PMI remained in expansion for a sixth consecutive month in June, and manufacturing output was 1.1% above year-earlier levels, supporting continued automation investment.
For system integrators and manufacturers, the data signals a shift toward more diverse automation demand beyond traditional automotive OEM projects. Growth in high-tech sectors like semiconductors and life sciences suggests opportunities for specialized robotic solutions, including collaborative applications. The sustained expansion in manufacturing conditions indicates that automation remains a strategic priority despite broader economic uncertainty.
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2026-08-13 · “Robot orders increase to $622 million in Q2 as automation demand broadens across industries”