Currently 65 percent of the most robotised countries - those with an above-average number of industrial robots per 10,000 employees - are located in the EU. By 2019 there will be around 2.6 million industrial robots, the federation says. Around 70 percent are currently employed in the automotive, electrical and electronics and metal and machinery industry sectors.

Strongest growth was recorded in the electronics industry, which saw an increase of 18 percent in the number of industrial robots used in 2015. There was an increase in robot use of 16 percent in the metals industry and a 10 percent increase in the automotive industry.

China is hoping to transform the country into one of the top technological nations, according to its 10-year plan — entitled “Made in China 2025.” Beijing aims to have 150 robotic units per 10,000 employees by 2020, which will require the installation of around 600,000 to 650,000 new industrial robots.

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