Please note: This article lists publicly traded companies and does not include some of the currently popular unlisted robotics startups.
In my previous two posts in the robot series:”Humanoid Robots current status and vendors” and “Robot industry current status and application“, I introduced the robot industry and its current industry development trends.
Robots are not new
The robotics industry has existed for a long time and is not a new industry that suddenly emerged. For example, the semiconductor and automotive industries rely heavily on robots, as do the software and artificial intelligence industries, but these two are invisible robots.
This article mainly lists some global robot companies that have existed for a long time, or even for decades. The following Top 10 Robotics Companies in the World at the forefront of this revolution, leading the way in manufacturing, automation, and machine learning applications.
ABB
ABB (ticker: ABBNY) is a well-known multinational company specializing in robotics, manufacturing, and industrial automation systems. The company has a history of nearly 150 years. The company’s main business scope includes robotics, electronics, electrical equipment, energy, automation, railway trains and other fields.
With more than 400,000 industrial robots installed worldwide, ABB has cemented its position as a leader in automation solutions.
ABB’s automation solutions simplify industrial processes by reducing human errors, increasing productivity and optimizing operational efficiency in all areas.
FANUC
Japan’s Fanuc Corporation (ticker: FANUY) specializes in robotics, manufacturing and industrial automation systems. It is a company that provides automation products and services such as robots and computer numerical control machine tools.
FANUC has a considerable share of the global industrial robot market, especially in the manufacturing and electronics fields, where it has a great influence.
With a strong foothold in the manufacturing sector, FANUC’s robots are essential for improving precision and efficiency, especially in the production of electronics, where it is an indispensable supplier.
KUKA
KUKA AG is a German company that has been acquired by China’s Midea Group. It is mainly engaged in the production of industrial robots and factory automation. Previously, the company’s main customers were automobile manufacturers, but later it has expanded to other industrial fields.
The company’s areas of expertise are robotics and manufacturing, as well as industrial automation systems. It is best known as a pioneer in developing robotics technology for manufacturing, particularly in automotive assembly and material handling. In recent years, it has deployed more than 60,000 robots.
Its importance lies in the fact that the world’s automotive giants, almost without exception, rely on innovations from KUKA AG to automate their assembly lines, thereby reducing costs and improving product consistency.
Yaskawa Electric
Kabushiki-gaisha Yasukawa Denki’s (ticker:YASKY) expertise is in robotics and automation systems for manufacturing and industry.
Yaskawa Electric is the world’s largest industrial robot company by market share, responsible for manufacturing motion controllers, servo drives, inverters, and industrial robots.
Its dominance in industrial automation is evident in its installation of more than 500,000 robots worldwide. The company’s automation systems have made a significant contribution to the efficiency of production lines in the global manufacturing industry.
KEYENCE
Keyence Corporation (ticker: KYCCF) specializes in machine vision. Founded in 1974, the company manufactures and sells automation sensors, vision systems, barcode scanners, laser marking machines, measuring instruments, digital microscopes and other factory automation products.
KEYENCE is known as a global leader in machine vision technology, supporting automation with innovative sensor and imaging solutions.
Currently, KEYENCE is promoting the next generation of robot applications to enhance quality control and precision manufacturing.
Teradyne
Teradyne (Teradyne, ticker: TER) specializes in robotics, manufacturing, and industrial automation systems. As a manufacturer of automatic test equipment (ATE), the company has the largest market share in the SOC component testing market.
Teradyne subsidiary Universal Robots leads the collaborative robot (cobot) market, with more than 50,000 cobots sold worldwide.
The rise of collaborative robots has made automation easier for small and medium-sized businesses.
Intuitive Surgical
Readers of my blog should be familiar with Intuitive Surgical (ISRG). I have already written two posts about it : “Intuitive Surgical, a company that essentially monopolizes surgical robots” and “How does dominated Intuitive Surgical make money?” Its area of expertise is robotic surgical systems.
It is best known for its da Vinci robot, a surgical system that has performed more than 10 million operations worldwide.
Its contribution lies in advancing the development of medical robotics technology, which is revolutionizing healthcare by improving precision and shortening patient recovery time.
Boston Dynamics
Boston Dynamics, which has been acquired by Hyundai Motor, is an American engineering and robotics design company. The company’s famous products are the four-legged robots developed for the US military with funding from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA): the Boston Dynamics robot dog, and DI-Guy, as well as a set of off-the-shelf software (COTS) for writing human simulations.
Boston Dynamics’ Spot robots are already used in more than 35 countries for tasks such as inspection, military, surveillance and construction. Its importance comes as the company’s advanced robotics technology is expanding the capabilities of robots in industries such as security, logistics and disaster response.
Universal Robots
Universal Robots, a Danish manufacturer of small, flexible industrial robots, was the first company to launch collaborative robots that can operate safely alongside employees without the need for safety hazards or containment.
Universal Robots has become a leader in the robotics market, with a 40-50% market share, enabling automation for small and medium-sized businesses.
The company’s innovative collaborative robotic solutions are transforming factory operations, reducing reliance on manual labor.
Zebra Technologies
Zebra Technologies (ticker: ZBRA) specializes in machine vision and provides comprehensive automation solutions designed to improve the efficiency and accuracy of logistics operations, increasing productivity by more than 30% for major customers.
It mainly engages in ticket printers, barcode label printers, RFID smart label printers, and fixed or handheld code readers. More than 90% of the Fortune 500 companies in more than 170 countries and regions around the world are using Zebra printers.
The company is at the heart of warehouse automation for companies around the world, helping to optimize supply chain efficiency.
Conclusion
Tesla CEO Elon Musk admitted in the first earnings call in April 2025 that despite Tesla’s “Optimus” robot leading the way, China may eventually dominate the entire industry. He said: “I am a little worried that the companies from second to tenth may all be from China.”
Related articles
- “Top Chinese Robotics Companies“
- “Top 10 Robotics Companies in the World“
- “Humanoid Robots current status and vendors“
- “Robot industry current status and application“
- “Intuitive Surgical, a company that essentially monopolizes surgical robots“
- “How does dominated Intuitive Surgical make money?”
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