Robotics market
Italy 7,800, France 4,500, Spain 4,300: EU robot installs fell in 2025
7,800, 4,500 and 4,300. Those are 2025 industrial robot installations in Italy, France and Spain, the European Union's second, third and fourth markets after Germany, according to the International Federation of Robotics.
All three fell. Italy dropped 11%, France 8% and Spain 15%. Each leans on a different customer: metal for Italy, a split between automotive and metal for France, and carmaking for Spain, where automotive takes 43% of national demand.
This page traces each country's count, change and lead industry to IFR's World Robotics 2026 releases.
Data covers Industrial robot installations in Italy, France and Spain in 2025 (IFR World Robotics 2026 global and EU-27 releases, September 2026). Published 2026-10-16. Last reviewed 2026-10-16. Last updated 2026-10-16. Edited by Mike Ramsey / Reliable Media.
The figures and where they come from
Each figure is rated for how safely you can cite it today. Ratings judge current usability, not whether a number was ever correct.
| Figure | What it is | Source | Citation Confidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,800 | Italy, industrial robots installed in 2025 | [B] | High | 13% of EU installations. IFR's global release gives the same figure as "about 7,800". |
| -11% | Italy, change from 2024 | [A] | High | IFR calls Italy the second-largest European market. |
| 29% | Italy, metal industry share of national demand | [B] | High | Italy's main customer industry for robots. |
| almost 4,500 | France, industrial robots installed in 2025 | [A] | High | The EU release rounds it to 4,500. Back in third place in the EU. |
| 21% | France, automotive share of national demand | [B] | High | The metal industry follows with 18%. |
| 18% | France, metal industry share of national demand | [B] | High | France's second customer industry after automotive. |
| about 4,300 | Spain, industrial robots installed in 2025 | [A] | High | Down 15%, the steepest fall of the three. |
| 43% | Spain, automotive share of national demand | [B] | High | IFR describes Spain as Europe's second-largest automotive producer. |
| 7% | France and Spain, each a share of EU installations | [B] | High | Each country holds about 7% of EU-27 installations. |
Why the numbers disagree
Rounding varies between IFR's two releases. The global release says "about 7,800" for Italy, "almost 4,500" for France and "about 4,300" for Spain; the EU release prints 7,800, 4,500 and 4,300. They're the same counts at different precision.
"Third place" needs its league table. IFR's global release says France is back in third place in Europe's ranking, and the EU release puts France and Spain level on share at 7% each, so a rank and a share can look out of step.
Sector shares are national. Spain's 43% automotive share and Italy's 29% metal share describe each country's own demand. They can't be added or compared as shares of EU installations.
How to cite these figures
Cite each country separately with its change: Italy 7,800 (down 11%), France almost 4,500 (down 8%), Spain about 4,300 (down 15%), IFR World Robotics 2026.
Give the lead industry with its base, for example "automotive took 43% of Spain's robot demand in 2025".
For an EU total, use IFR's own 60,500 rather than building one from country figures, since the release doesn't list every member state.
Where people go wrong
Ranking Spain above France. IFR has France ahead in 2025, with almost 4,500 installations to Spain's 4,300.
Presenting Spain's 43% as automotive's share of EU demand. It's the share of Spain's own installations.
Summing the three countries into a regional total. IFR's releases give no subtotal for these three.
How we checked
Counts and percentage changes come from IFR's World Robotics 2026 global release; EU shares and each country's lead industries come from IFR's EU-27 release issued the same day.
We quote both releases' rounding as printed and do no arithmetic across countries, because IFR doesn't publish a subtotal for these three.
Full source list
Primary sources, with live links. Every figure above traces to one of these.
- [A]International Federation of Robotics (IFR)September 24, 2026
IFR, "Five Million Robots now Operate in Factories Globally" (World Robotics 2026 Industrial Robots release)
https://ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/news/five-million-robots-now-operate-in-factories-globally - [B]International Federation of Robotics (IFR)September 24, 2026
IFR, "European Union's Industrial Robot Stock Hits Record 700,000 Units" (World Robotics 2026 EU-27 press release, PDF)
https://ifr.org/downloads/press_docs/EN-2026-SEP-14-IFR_Press_Release_WR-EU-27.pdf
Common questions
- How many robots did Italy install in 2025?
- 7,800 industrial robots, down 11%, according to IFR's World Robotics 2026 report. Italy is the EU's second-largest robot market, with 13% of EU installations.
- How many robots did France and Spain install in 2025?
- France installed almost 4,500, down 8%, and Spain about 4,300, down 15%. Each holds about 7% of EU installations, per IFR.
- What drives robot demand in Spain?
- Carmaking. IFR says automotive takes 43% of Spain's robot demand and describes Spain as Europe's second-largest automotive producer.
- Which industry buys the most robots in Italy?
- The metal industry, with a 29% share of Italy's robot demand, per IFR's EU release.
More data, traced to source
- EU robot installations fell 11% as the bloc's robot stock passed 700,000
EU-27 factories installed 60,500 industrial robots, down 11%, even as the EU's operational stock passed 700,000, per IFR World Robotics 2026. Germany installed 24,800 of them, 41% of the EU total.
- Germany installed 24,800 robots in 2025, down 8% but 41% of the EU
IFR's World Robotics 2026 counts 24,800 industrial robots installed in Germany in 2025, down 8%, still 41% of the EU total. Automotive drove 23% of German demand and metal 21%, and IFR says the carmakers' share is shrinking.
- Europe installed 85,000 industrial robots in 2024, down 8%
Europe installed 85,000 industrial robots in 2024, an 8% drop, with the European Union accounting for 67,800 of them. These are annual installations from the IFR World Robotics yearbook, separate from the total operational fleet.
- Metal and machinery is the #3 robot industry: 16% of installs
Metal and machinery is now the third-largest customer industry for robots, at 16% of installations, up 2 points. It sits behind electronics (24%) and automotive (23%) in the latest IFR World Robotics yearbook.