Global Industrial Robot Trade: Q2 2026

From automotive assembly lines to food packaging, industrial robots have become integral to modern manufacturing. Silverado’s latest data dashboard dives into the evolving global trade of industrial robots to identify emerging production hubs and shifting trade dynamics.

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Key takeaways from Silverado’s industrial robot dashboard are discussed below.

1. China’s share of global exports reached a record high. China’s share of global exports reached a record high of 18 percent, not far behind Japan’s leading export share of 21 percent. China’s share of exports is up from only 9 percent in Q1 2024. The United States was the fifth largest exporter, accounting for 5 percent of exports.

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2. A majority of China’s exports went to Asia. The United States was the third largest export destination on an individual country basis. Over half of Chinese exports were destined for Asian countries, with India, Thailand, and Vietnam each accounting for 9 percent of Chinese exports. The United States was the third largest individual country destination, also accounting for 9 percent of China’s exports. China’s exports of industrial robots to the United States increased by 66% from Q1 2026 to Q2 2026 and 170 percent from Q1 2024 to Q2 2026. However, China supplies a relatively small share of U.S. imports, as discussed below.

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3. U.S. imports of industrial robots reached the highest level since 2022. U.S. imports in Q2 2026 reached $551 million, a 23% increase from Q1 and the highest level since the second quarter of 2022. Japan remained the largest supplier to the U.S. market, accounting for 21 percent of U.S. imports. China only accounted for 6 percent of U.S. imports.

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