Five million robots mark logistics automation’s shift from pilot projects to scale

Industrial automation is continuing to accelerate, with the International Federation of Robotics reporting that the global operational stock of industrial robots climbed to 5.08 million units in 2025, a rise of 9% on the previous year. The federation said annual installations reached 603,000 units, pushing the worldwide total to a record level and more than doubling the number in operation seven years earlier.

The figures point to a market that remains firmly on an upward traje...

ctory, with Asia accounting for the fastest growth, followed by the Americas, while Europe expanded at a slower pace. Jane Heffner, president of the International Federation of Robotics, said the pace of change shows how quickly factories are adopting automation. “Industrial automation is progressing at high speed,” she said. “The new mark of five million robots operational in factories worldwide is more than double the number seven years ago. The strongest growth is taking place in Asia, followed by the Americas. Europe is moving ahead more slowly.”

That broader trend is already being reflected in logistics investment plans across Europe. In Finland, retail group Kesko has chosen KNAPP to provide the first phase of automation for a new logistics centre in Nurmijärvi. The scheme will combine automated pallet handling, high-bay storage, shuttle-based storage and goods-to-person picking for small items, alongside manual processes where required. Detailed planning is now under way, with installation due to begin in 2028 and the facility expected to open in phases during 2029 and 2030.

The Kesko project underlines how warehouse operators are increasingly looking for systems that can be expanded over time rather than deployed as a single, fixed solution. According to KNAPP, the new centre is intended to strengthen supply chain capacity and flexibility while supporting future growth.

Elsewhere in Europe, furniture retailer Kave Home is also preparing to expand its automated logistics capability through a new hub in Tordera, near Barcelona, developed with TGW Logistics. The site will bring together miniload systems, automated high-bay warehouses, autonomous mobile robots and palletising technology, with the aim of improving service for e-commerce, retail and business-to-business customers.

The momentum is not limited to storage and fulfilment buildings. Joloda Hydraroll says generative artificial intelligence is beginning to push supply chains beyond conventional automation, enabling more adaptive and value-focused operations. Wouter Satijn, the company’s chief revenue officer, argues that the real opportunity lies in linking digital optimisation with physical handling processes. He says full end-to-end transformation will not be possible unless organisations break down silos and adopt automated loading and unloading as part of a broader redesign.

Parcel operators are facing a similar challenge. BEUMER Group has launched BEUMER robotpick, a fully autonomous robotic picking and singulation system aimed at bulk parcel handling. The company says the technology can automate up to 99.9% of parcel processing, an offer designed to relieve pressure on courier, express and parcel networks that are dealing with rising parcel diversity and persistent labour shortages.

Taken together, the developments point to a logistics sector in which robotics is becoming less of a specialist add-on and more of a core operating requirement. Advances in artificial intelligence, machine vision and sensing are improving robot performance, while simpler programming and easier integration are reducing the barriers to adoption. For warehouse and logistics operators, the result is a wider range of practical automation options and a market that is moving quickly from experimentation to scale.

Source: Noah Wire Services