Packaging Robots Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Packaging Robots Market is projected to expand from USD 8.98 Billion in 2025 to USD 18.39 Billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 12.69%. These robots are specialized automated systems designed to perform essential production line tasks, such as picking, placing, packing, and palletizing, with high precision. The market is primarily propelled by the urgent need to alleviate persistent labor shortages and the demand for increased operational throughput to satisfy the growing requirements of the global e-commerce sector. These economic drivers necessitate a shift toward automation to maintain supply chain reliability, distinguishing this adoption from optional technological trends.

According to the Association for Advancing Automation, robot orders within the consumer goods and food sectors increased by 65% in 2024 as manufacturers accelerated their adoption of these solutions. However, a major obstacle hindering broader market growth is the substantial initial capital expenditure necessary for implementation. The high costs associated with acquiring, programming, and integrating these sophisticated systems can act as a significant deterrent for small and medium-sized enterprises, thereby limiting the total addressable market.

Market Drivers

Advancements in artificial intelligence and machine vision are fundamentally transforming the capabilities of packaging robots, allowing them to perform complex, unstructured tasks with unmatched precision. This integration of intelligent technologies enables manufacturers to implement highly automated end-of-line systems that dynamically adjust to varying product sizes, greatly enhancing operational throughput and flexibility. As reported by the Association for Advancing Automation in their 'Q1 2025 Robot Orders' report from May 2025, the value of North American robot orders increased by 15% year-over-year to $580.7 million, indicating a clear market shift toward higher-value, advanced automation systems even as unit volumes remained flat.

Rising labor costs and a persistent global shortage of skilled workers act as a second major catalyst, driving industries to transition from manual processes to automated packaging infrastructures. Manufacturers are leveraging robotics to fill workforce gaps, guarantee supply chain continuity, and defend margins against increasing wage expenses. This economic shift is reflected in industrial performance data; PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, noted in August 2025 that U.S. packaging machinery shipments reached $11.3 billion in 2024, a figure largely driven by the accelerated adoption of automation to counter labor challenges. Additionally, Fanuc reported in February 2025 that its factory automation net sales grew by 10.0% to ¥147,424 million for the nine-month period ending December 2024, demonstrating the resilience of the broader automation sector.

Market Challenges

The significant initial capital expenditure required for implementation represents a major barrier to the growth of the Global Packaging Robots Market. For numerous manufacturers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, the upfront financial commitment includes not only the purchase price of the robotic units but also considerable costs for system integration, specialized programming, and necessary infrastructure upgrades. These combined expenses often prolong the estimated return on investment period, causing companies to hesitate or delay automation projects despite the evident long-term operational advantages.

This financial burden is further intensified by broader economic volatility that raises the cost of capital, rendering large-scale machinery investments less viable. When inflation and interest rates rise, the justification for such heavy spending diminishes, directly resulting in reduced market activity. According to the Association for Advancing Automation, North American robot orders fell by approximately 8% in units and 7% in revenue during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, as companies postponed capital expenditures due to economic headwinds. Consequently, these financial pressures limit the total addressable market, forcing many potential adopters to delay their modernization efforts.

Market Trends

The rise of Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) subscription models is fundamentally reshaping procurement by converting high upfront capital costs into manageable operational expenses. This financial shift allows manufacturers to bypass the significant barriers of traditional automation ownership, paying instead for active usage hours or successful outcomes, which is particularly crucial for small and medium-sized enterprises. By lowering investment risk, this model supports rapid scalability and ensures companies can deploy automation without depleting cash reserves. In January 2025, Formic announced in its 'Formic Continues to Accelerate Robot Usage Growth' press release that its RaaS fleet had exceeded 200,000 production hours, illustrating the model's expanding footprint in executing packaging and palletizing tasks across the manufacturing sector.

Simultaneously, the adoption of Mobile Manipulators for Flexible End-of-Line Logistics is transforming static production environments into dynamic, autonomous ecosystems. Unlike fixed conveyors or stationary arms, these systems merge robotic manipulators with autonomous mobile platforms, facilitating the seamless transport and handling of goods across diverse facility layouts without rigid infrastructure. This mobility allows for real-time adjustments to material flow and packaging lines, which is essential for modern facilities managing high-mix inventory and fluctuating demand. According to the International Federation of Robotics' November 2025 'World Robotics 2025 Service Robots' report, sales of professional service robots for transportation and logistics rose by 14% to 102,900 units in 2024, highlighting the sector's decisive shift toward adaptable material handling solutions.

Key Players Profiled in the Packaging Robots Market

• Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• ABB Limited
• Seiko Epson Corporation
• Rockwell Automation, Inc.
• Universal Robots A/S
• Yaskawa Electric Corporation
• DENSO Corporation
• Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Omron Corporation
• KUKA AG

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Packaging Robots Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Packaging Robots Market, by Application:

• Food & Beverages
• Pharmaceuticals
• Electronics
• Automotive
• Cosmetics & Personal Care
• Others

Packaging Robots Market, by Type:

• Articulated Robots
• Cartesian Robots
• SCARA Robots
• Delta Robots
• Collaborative Robots
• Others

Packaging Robots Market, by Functionality:

• Picking & Placing
• Palletizing & Depalletizing
• Case Packing & Unpacking
• Labeling & Marking
• Inspection & Quality Control
• Others

Packaging Robots Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Packaging Robots Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

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

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