Food Robotics Market by Type, Application (Palletizing, Packaging, Repackaging, Pick & Place, Processing), Payload (Low, Medium, Heavy), End-Use Industry, and Region - Trends & Forecast to 2022

The global food robotics market is estimated at USD 1.37 Billion in 2017 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.80% reach USD 2.50 Billion by 2022 during the forecast period. The objectives of the report are to define, segment, and measure the global food robotics market, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, further the market is segmented by type, payload, application, end-use industry, and region. The report also aims to provide detailed information about the crucial factors influencing the growth of the market, strategical analysis of micromarkets, opportunities for stakeholders, details of competitive landscape, and profiles of the key players with respect to their market share and competencies.

The years considered for the study are as follows:

• Base year – 2016
• Estimated year – 2017
• Projected year – 2022 
• Forecast period – 2017 to 2022

Research Methodology:

The research study involved the usage of extensive secondary sources (which include directories and databases) such as Hoovers, Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Factiva to identify and collect information useful for this technical, market-oriented, and commercial study of the food robotics market. The primary sources mainly included industry experts from core & related industries and preferred suppliers, dealers, manufacturers, equipment providers, technology developers, alliances, standards & certification organizations from companies, and organizations related to all segments of this industry’s value chain. In-depth interviews were conducted with various primary respondents including key industry participants, subject matter experts, C-level executives of key market players, and industry consultants to obtain & verify critical qualitative & quantitative information as well as to assess future prospects. The following figure depicts the market research methodology applied in drafting this report on the food robotics market.

To know about the assumptions considered for the study, download the pdf brochure

The increase in food safety regulations across the globe has led to an increased interest in the usage of robots in the manufacturing process. The evolution of this market has come about with the gradual diversification of applicable industries.

The key manufacturers who comprise the food robotics market include Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Japan), ABB Group (Switzerland), Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. (Japan), Rockwell Automation Incorporated (U.S.), FANUC Corporation (Japan). These companies have diversified product portfolios, proprietary technologies, and strong distribution networks and offices at major strategic locations. The other companies which are profiled are KUKA AG (Germany), Seiko Epson Corporation (Japan), Yaskawa Electric Corporation (Japan), Staubli International Corporation (Switzerland), Mayekawa Mfg. Co., Ltd. (Japan), Universal Robots A/S (Denmark), and Bastian Solutions Inc. (U.S.).

The stakeholders for food robotics market are mentioned below:

• Regulatory and research organizations
• Raw material suppliers and distributors
• Food robotics distributors and dealers
• Biotechnology-based organizations
• Food robotics manufacturers
• Research and consulting firms

Scope of the Report

• This research report categorizes the food robotics market based on type, payload, application, end-use industry, and region.

On the basis of Type, the food robotics market has been segmented into the following:

• Articulated
• Cartesian
• SCARA
• Parallel
• Cylindrical
• Collaborative
• Others

On the basis of Payload, the food robotics market has been segmented into the following:

• Low (<10 Kg)
• Medium (>10 Kg–<100 Kg)
• Heavy (>100 Kg)

On the basis of Application, the food robotics market has been segmented into the following:

• Palletizing
• Pick & place
• Packaging
• Repackaging
• Processing
• Others

On the basis of End-use Industry, the food robotics market has been segmented into the following:

• Beverages
• Meat, poultry, and seafood
• Dairy
• Bakery
• Fruits & vegetables
• Confectionery
• Others

On the basis of Region, the food robotics market has been segmented into the following:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Rest of the World (RoW includes Brazil, South Africa, and Argentina)

Available Customizations

With the given market data, MarketsandMarkets offers customizations according to client-specific needs.

The following customization options are available for the report:

Product Analysis

• Product matrix, which gives a detailed comparison of the product portfolio of each company

End-Use Industry Analysis

• Further breakdown of food robotics into convenience food and baby food

Regional Analysis

• Further breakdown of the Rest of Europe food robotics market into Germany, UK, France, Italy and Spain, Rest of Europe (It includes Netherlands, Ireland, Poland, Russia, and Sweden).
• Further breakdown of the Rest of Asia-Pacific food robotics market into China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, India, and Rest of Asia-Pacific (It includes Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand).
• Further breakdown of the RoW food robotics market into Brazil, South Africa, and Argentina

Company Information

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five)

Increasing food safety regulations to drive the global food robotics market to USD 2.50 billion by 2022

Food robotics refers to the branch of science that focuses on the development of automated machines to perform tedious, heavy, and repetitive tasks efficiently, in the food & beverage manufacturing industry. These machines are built with the aim to replace or support manual efforts, to reduce the time & energy consumed, and eliminate errors during primary and secondary food processing. They are used to perform tasks such as palletizing, packaging, re-packaging, cutting, splitting, mixing, picking, and placing food & beverage products.

The global food robotics market is projected to reach USD 2.50 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 12.80% from 2017. Factors such as increasing food safety regulations and the high demand for packaging & re-packaging in food production are expected to increase the demand for food robotics, globally. Furthermore, increasing instances of food contamination through human contact have encouraged manufacturers to employ industrial robots in the food & beverage manufacturing processes. The demand for food robotics is anticipated to increase in the Asia Pacific region, owing to the rapidly growing processed food industry.

With the increasing functionality of robots, more industries such as the food processing industry are adopting automation with low payload robots. Sections such as dairy and bakery in the food & beverage industry are minimizing human contact in the production process in order to comply with health authority standards. There is an opportunity for the food robotics market to grow with the increase in functionality of robots to include packaging, repackaging, and palletizing.

Limited skilled workforce is the major restraining factor for the market.

In countries where the food & beverage industry has high potential for growth—such as China, India, and Brazil—there is a skill shortage in this domain. This is because the knowledge of four to five engineering disciplines is required to become an expert in this field, and there is a scarcity of qualified faculty to train in the subjects. Moreover, there are limited branches of engineering that focus on robotics. This is a direct restraining factor for the food robotics market as the development of adequate skilled manpower is likely to be achieved only in the long run.

Most food manufacturers are reluctant to adopt automated processes due to the installation cost over and above the price of the robot. The added cost to turn the individual robots into a comprehensive robotic system, peripheral equipment such as safety barriers, sensors, programmable logic controllers (PLC), human-machine interface (HMI), and safety systems pose challenges for market growth.

Market Dynamics

Robots can easily perform repetitive and tedious tasks with accuracy and lift large and heavy products easily. In terms of application, the food robotics market is segmented into palletizing, packaging, repackaging, pick & place, processing, and others

Increasing application of food robotics in palletizing

Palletizing refers to the process of loading and unloading large and heavy boxes and parts to and from pallets in food & beverage manufacturing and distribution facilities and warehouses. Industrial robot palletizers perform this function automatically by carrying a large range of payloads and with extended reach, thereby bringing efficiency and consistency into the entire process.

Other major applications of food robotics are packaging and repackaging.

Packaging plays a crucial role in automated food & beverage manufacturing and product sales. Regulations led by various government organizations—the Food and Agricultural Organization and the European Union (EU)—regarding food safety encourage food & beverage manufacturers to deploy robots for packaging. Repackaging refers to the secondary packaging of food & beverage products, which includes stretch wrapping, case packing, carton packing, and carton taping. Companies such as ABB (Switzerland) offer robotic products that include high payload delta robots and 4-6 axis robots for the food & beverage industry to perform packaging and repackaging applications.

Food robotics is used in the processing of various food products including meat, poultry, and seafood; dairy; bakery; fruits & vegetables; confectionery; and others.

One of the key factors driving the demand for food robotics is the growth of the processed food sector, owing to the dependence of consumers on ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products. The beverage industry includes the use of robotics in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage production. Packaging is the key function of robots in the beverage industry. Robotics are used for the packaging of beverages in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, clarified polypropylene (PP) bottles, Polyethylene (PE) bottles, glass bottles, and jars, of various capacities, sizes, and shapes.

Robots are used in the meat, poultry, and seafood industry to perform functions such as defeathering, deboning, cutting, splitting, and packaging. The demand for wash-down robots and end-of-arm-tooling (EOAT) robots in meat processing has significantly increased post the approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Processing of fruits & vegetables requires a controlled atmosphere due to their perishable nature; they also require quick processes to maintain their freshness and optimal quality. The industry uses robotics primarily for performing processing functions such as sorting, grading, cutting, peeling, and cleaning.

Key Questions

• What are the growth perspectives of the global food robotics market? What is the current scenario, and how is the market estimated to grow in the future?  
• Lack of skilled labor is restraining the growth of food robotics market, how can this be overcome?
• Most suppliers have opted for innovation & new product development as the key strategies as could be seen from the recent developments. Where will it take the industry in the mid to long term?

Table of Contents

1 Introduction (Page No. - 14)
    1.1 Objectives of the Study
    1.2 Market Definition
    1.3 Study Scope
    1.4 Years Considered for the Study
    1.5 Currency Considered
    1.6 Unit Considered
    1.7 Stakeholders

2 Research Methodology (Page No. - 18)
    2.1 Research Data
           2.1.1 Secondary Data
           2.1.2 Primary Data
                    2.1.2.1 Breakdown of Primaries
                    2.1.2.2 Key Industry Insights
    2.2 Market Breakdown & Data Triangulation
    2.3 Market Share Estimation
    2.4 Market Size Estimation
    2.5 Research Assumptions
    2.6 Research Limitations

3 Executive Summary (Page No. - 26)

4 Premium Insights (Page No. - 31)
    4.1 Attractive Market Opportunity for Food Robotics Producers and Processors
    4.2 Food Robotics Market Size in Terms of Value By Region
    4.3 Food Robotics Market in Europe
    4.4 Food Robotics Market, By Application
    4.5 Food Robotics Market, By End-Use Industry, in Terms of Value

5 Market Overview (Page No. - 34)
    5.1 Introduction
    5.2 Market Dynamics
           5.2.1 Drivers
                    5.2.1.1 Increasing Food Safety Regulations
                    5.2.1.2 Higher Demand for Packaged Food
                    5.2.1.3 Increasing Need to Improve Productivity
           5.2.2 Restraints
                    5.2.2.1 Scarcity of Skilled Workforce in Emerging Economies
           5.2.3 Opportunities
                    5.2.3.1 Rising Production of Low-Cost Robots
                    5.2.3.2 Increasing Functionality of Robots
           5.2.4 Challenges
                    5.2.4.1 High Cost of Installation of Robotic Systems

6 Food Robotics Market, By Type (Page No. - 37)
    6.1 Introduction
    6.2 Articulated
    6.3 Cartesian
    6.4 Scara
    6.5 Parallel
    6.6 Cylindrical
    6.7 Collaborative
    6.8 Others

7 Food Robotics Market, By Payload (Page No. - 45)
    7.1 Introduction
    7.2 Medium
    7.3 Low
    7.4 Heavy

8 Food Robotics Market, By Application (Page No. - 49)
    8.1 Introduction
    8.2 Palletizing
    8.3 Packaging
    8.4 Repackaging
    8.5 Pick & Place
    8.6 Processing
    8.7 Other Applications

9 Food Robotics Market, By End-Use Industry (Page No. - 55)
    9.1 Introduction
    9.2 Beverage
    9.3 Meat, Poultry, and Seafood
    9.4 Dairy
    9.5 Bakery
    9.6 Fruits & Vegetables
    9.7 Confectionery
    9.8 Other End-Use Industries

10 Food Robotics Market, By Region (Page No. - 62)
     10.1 Introduction
     10.2 North America
             10.2.1 U.S.
             10.2.2 Canada
             10.2.3 Mexico
     10.3 Europe
             10.3.1 Germany
             10.3.2 U.K.
             10.3.3 France
             10.3.4 Italy
             10.3.5 Spain
             10.3.6 Rest of Europe
     10.4 Asia-Pacific
             10.4.1 China
             10.4.2 Japan
             10.4.3 Republic of Korea
             10.4.4 Indonesia
             10.4.5 Taiwan
             10.4.6 India
             10.4.7 Rest of Asia Pacific
     10.5 Rest of the World (RoW)
             10.5.1 Brazil
             10.5.2 South Africa
             10.5.3 Argentina
             10.5.4 Others in RoW

11 Competitive Landscape (Page No. - 96)
     11.1 Introduction
     11.2 Vendor Dive
             11.2.1 Vanguards
             11.2.2 Dynamic
             11.2.3 Innovator
             11.2.4 Emerging
     11.3 Competitive Benchmarking
             11.3.1 Product Offerings
             11.3.2 Business Strategy

12 Company Profiles (Page No. - 100)
(Business Overview, Company Scorecard, Products Offered, Recent Developments, Business Strategies)*
     12.1 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
     12.2 ABB Group
     12.3 Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.
     12.4 Rockwell Automation Incorporated
     12.5 Fanuc Corporation
     12.6 Kuka AG
     12.7 Seiko Epson Corporation
     12.8 Yaskawa Electric Corporation
     12.9 Staubli International AG
     12.10 Mayekawa Mfg. Co., Ltd
     12.11 Universal Robotics A/S
     12.12 Bastian Solutions Inc.

*Business Overview, Company Scorecard, Products Offered, Recent Developments, Business Strategies View might not be captured in case of unlisted companies.

13 Appendix (Page No. - 138)
     13.1 Discussion Guide
     13.2 Knowledge Store: Marketsandmarkets’ Subscription Portal
     13.3 Introducing RT: Real-Time Market Intelligence
     13.4 Available Customizations
     13.5 Related Reports
     13.6 Author Details

List of Tables (73 Tables)

Table 1 Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 2 Articulated Food Robotics Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 3 Cartesian Food Robotics Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 4 Scara Food Robotics Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 5 Parallel Food Robotics Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 6 Cylindrical Food Robotics Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 7 Collaborative Food Robotics Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 8 Others Food Robotics Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 9 Food Robotics Market Size, By Payload, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 10 Medium Payload Food Robotics Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 11 Low Food Robotics Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 12 Heavy Food Robotics Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 13 Food Robotics Market Size, By Application, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 14 Palletizing Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 15 Packaging Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 16 Repackaging Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 17 Pick & Place Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 18 Processing Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 19 Other Applications Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 20 Food Robotics Market Size, By End-Use Industry, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 21 Food Robotics Market Size in Beverage, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 22 Food Robotics Market Size in Meat, Poultry, and Seafood, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 23 Food Robotics Market Size in Dairy, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 24 Food Robotics Market Size in Bakery, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 25 Food Robotics Market Size in Fruits & Vegetables, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 26 Food Robotics Market Size in Confectionery, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 27 Food Robotics Market Size in Other End-Use Industries, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 28 Global Food Robotics Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 29 Global Food Robotics Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (Units)
Table 30 North America: Food Robotics Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 31 North America: Food Robotics Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (Units)
Table 32 North America: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 33 North America: Food Robotics Market Size, By Payload, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 34 North America: Food Robotics Market Size, By Application, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 35 North America: Food Robotics Market Size, By End-Use Industry, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 36 U.S.: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 37 Canada: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 38 Mexico: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 39 Europe: Food Robotics Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 40 Europe: Food Robotics Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (Units)
Table 41 Europe: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 42 Europe: Food Robotics Market Size, By Payload, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 43 Europe: Food Robotics Market Size, By Application, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 44 Europe: Food Robotics Market Size, By End-Use Industry, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 45 Germany: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 46 U.K.: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 47 France: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 48 Italy: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 49 Spain: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 50 Rest of Europe: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 51 Asia-Pacific: Food Robotics Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 52 Asia-Pacific: Food Robotics Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (Units)
Table 53 Asia-Pacific: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 54 Asia-Pacific: Food Robotics Market Size, By Payload, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 55 Asia-Pacific: Food Robotics Market Size, By Application, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 56 Asia-Pacific: Food Robotics Market Size, By End-Use Industry, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 57 China: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 58 Japan: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 59 Republic of Korea: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 60 Indonesia: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 61 Taiwan: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 62 India: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 63 Rest of Asia-Pacific: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 64 RoW: Food Robotics Market Size, By Country, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 65 RoW: Food Robotics Market Size, By Region, 2015–2022 (Units)
Table 66 RoW: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 67 RoW: Food Robotics Market Size, By Payload, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 68 RoW: Food Robotics Market Size, By Application, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 69 RoW: Food Robotics Market Size, By End-Use Industry, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 70 Brazil: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 71 South Africa: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 72 Argentina: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)
Table 73 Others in RoW: Food Robotics Market Size, By Type, 2015–2022 (USD Million)

List of Figures (62 Figures)

Figure 1 Food Robotics Market Segmentation
Figure 2 Regional Scope
Figure 3 Food Robotics Market: Research Design
Figure 4 Breakdown of Primary Interviews: By Company Type, Designation & Region
Figure 5 Market Breakdown & Data Triangulation
Figure 6 Market Size Estimation: Bottom-Up Approach
Figure 7 Market Size Estimation Methodology: Top-Down Approach
Figure 8 Asia-Pacific Food Robotics Market to Grow at the Highest CAGR, 2017–2022
Figure 9 Articulated Robots to Dominate the Global Food Robotics Market, in Terms of Value, 2017 vs 2022
Figure 10 Low Payload Food Robotics to Register the Highest CAGR in Terms of Value Between 2017 & 2022
Figure 11 Palletizing to Be the Largest Application of the Global Food Robotics Market During the Forecast Period
Figure 12 Beverage to Be the Largest End-Use Industry of Food Robotics During the Forecast Period
Figure 13 Attractive Growth Opportunities in Food Robotics Market for Manufacturers
Figure 14 Asian Countries to Be the Fastest Growing in the Global Food Robotics Market 2017-2022 (USD Million)
Figure 15 Food Robotics Market: Asia-Pacific to Grow at the Fastest Pace Between 2017 and 2022
Figure 16 Italy Held the Largest Share in the European Food Robotics Market in 2016
Figure 17 Palletizing Application Segment Dominated the Food Robotics Market Across All Regions in 2016
Figure 18 Beverage Segment to Dominate the Food Robotics Market in 2017 and 2022 Market Share (Value)
Figure 19 Increasing Food Safety Regulations Drive the Food Robotics Market
Figure 20 Articulated Segment is Expected to Dominate the Food Robotics Market, 2017-2022 (USD Million)
Figure 21 Asia-Pacific is Expected to Dominate the Articulated Food Robotics Market in 2022 (USD Million)
Figure 22 Medium Payload Segment is Projected to Dominate the Food Robotics Market in the Forecast Period
Figure 23 Asia Pacific is Projected to Dominate the Medium Food Robotics Market By 2022 (USD Million)
Figure 24 The Palletizing Segment is Projected to Dominate the Food Robotics Market, 2017–2022 (USD Million)
Figure 25 Asia Pacific is Projected to Dominate the Food Robotics Market, 2022 (USD Million)
Figure 26 Beverage Segment is Projected to Dominate the Food Robotics Market, 2017–2022 (USD Million)
Figure 27 Asia-Pacific is Projected to Dominate the Food Robotics Market in the Beverage Industry, 2022 (USD Million)
Figure 28 Europe Food Robotics Market: Snapshot
Figure 29 Asia-Pacific Food Robotics Market: Snapshot
Figure 30 Dive Chart
Figure 31 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation: Company Snapshot
Figure 32 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation: Product Offering Scorecard
Figure 33 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation: Business Strategy Scorecard
Figure 34 ABB Group: Company Snapshot
Figure 35 ABB Group: Product Offering Scorecard
Figure 36 ABB Group: Business Strategy Scorecard
Figure 37 Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.: Company Snapshot
Figure 38 Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd: Product Offering Scorecard
Figure 39 Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd: Business Strategy Scorecard
Figure 40 Rockwell Automation Incorporated: Company Snapshot
Figure 41 Rockwell Automation Incorporated: Product Offering Scorecard
Figure 42 Rockwell Automation Incorporated: Business Strategy Scorecard
Figure 43 Fanuc Corporation: Company Snapshot
Figure 44 Fanuc Corporation: Product Offering Scorecard
Figure 45 Fanuc Corporation: Business Strategy Scorecard
Figure 46 Kuka AG: Company Snapshot
Figure 47 Kuka AG: Product Offering Scorecard
Figure 48 Kuka AG: Business Strategy Scorecard
Figure 49 Seiko Epson Corporation: Company Snapshot
Figure 50 Seiko Epson Corporation: Product Offering Scorecard
Figure 51 Seiko Epson Corporation: Business Strategy Scorecard
Figure 52 Yaskawa Electric Corporation: Company Snapshot
Figure 53 Yaskawa Electric Corporation: Product Offering Scorecard
Figure 54 Yaskawa Electric Corporation: Business Strategy Scorecard
Figure 55 Staubli International AG: Product Offering Scorecard
Figure 56 Staubli International AG: Business Strategy Scorecard
Figure 57 Mayekawa Mfg. Co. Ltd: Product Offering Scorecard
Figure 58 Mayekawa Mfg. Co. Ltd: Business Strategy Scorecard
Figure 59 Universal Robots A/S: Product Offering Scorecard
Figure 60 Universal Robots A/S: Business Strategy Scorecard
Figure 61 Bastian Solutions Incorporated: Product Offering Scorecard
Figure 62 Bastian Solutions Incorporated: Business Strategy Scorecard

The global food robotics market is estimated at USD 1.37 Billion in 2017 and is projected to reach USD 2.50 Billion by 2022 during the forecast period. The primary factors that drive the food robotics market are the higher demand for packaged foods, increase food safety regulations, and increased need to improve productivity. The increase in the number of food safety regulations across the globe has led to an increased interest in the usage of robots in the manufacturing process. The use of robots in the food and & beverage industry has led to cost reduction, improved quality, increased production, and improved workplace health and safety. The major restraining factor for the market has been the lack of skilled workforce required to operate the robots in manufacturing facilities.

The food robotics market is segmented by type, payload, application, end-use industry, and region. On the basis of type, articulated robot dominated the global market for food robotics followed by a cylindrical robot in 2016. The articulated robots are robots with rotary joints for mobility, and the robots have a wide variety of payload capacities. Some of the major suppliers of articulated robots include ABB Group (Switzerland), KUKA AG (Germany), and FANUC Corp. (Japan).

The food robotics market by payload is segmented as low, medium, and heavy. The medium payload had the largest market share in 2016. The medium segment of the food robotics market has the capacity of between 10 kg to 100 kg. The robots in this segment are often multi-purpose, which can be used for applications such as processing and palletizing.

The food processing market by application is segmented as palletizing, pick & place, packaging, re-packaging, and processing. The palletizing segment by application had the largest market share in 2016. Palletizing refers to the process of loading and unloading heavy boxes. Industrial robot palletizers perform this function automatically by carrying a large range of payloads and with extended reach, thereby bringing efficiency and consistency in the entire process.

In the food robotics market by end-use industry, the beverage segment is expected to. Robots are primarily used for performing packaging such as can or bottle packing and repackaging such as stretch wrapping and case packing functions in the beverage industry.

Asia-Pacific is projected to have the largest market share followed by the European region in 2022. The Asia-Pacific region is projected to be the fastest growing market for food robotics in the forecast period. This is mainly due to rapid demand for ready to cook/eat products and increase in disposable income among the consumers.

One of the major restraining factors includes scarcity of skilled workforce in emerging economies. The adoption and implementation of food robotics require skilled workforce. There is a scarcity of people specializing in disciplines such as electrical, embedded, software, and mechanical, which are required for the installation and maintenance of robots. In countries where the food & beverage industry has a high potential for growth, such as China, India, and Brazil, there is a skill shortage in this domain. This is a direct restraining factor for the market of food robotics as the development of adequate skilled manpower is likely to be achieved only in the long run.

Universal Robots A/S (Denmark) is likely to emerge as a leading market player in the food robotics market in the coming years owing to their line of collaborative robots of low payload capacities and minimal maintenance, which is highly useful in the food industry.

To speak to our analyst for a discussion on the above findings, click Speak to Analyst