While automotive OEM orders declined in the first half of 2026, they picked up in Q3. Source: A3
North American companies ordered 10,989 robots valued at $723.5 million in the third quarter of 2026, according to the latest data from the Association for Advancing Automation, or A3. Orders increased 24.8% in units and 26.1% in value compared with the third quarter of 2025, making it the strongest quarter of the year so far, it said.
The third-quarter gains pushed total orders for the first nine months of 2026 to 28,984 robots valued at approximately $1.89 billion, A3 reported. This represented increases of 9.6% in units and 13.3% in value over the same period last year, noted the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based organization.
Orders grow in automotive in addition to other industries
After declining during the first half of 2026, automotive OEM robot orders returned to positive year-over-year growth in the third quarter, increasing 7.5%, said A3. Orders from automotive component suppliers climbed 90.4%, continuing the strong demand from that segment seen earlier in the year.
Several other industries recorded substantial increases in robot orders during Q3:
- Semiconductors and electronics/photonics: +97.6% units
- Plastics and rubber: +67.7% units
- Life sciences/pharmaceutical/biomedical: +38.7% units
- Metals: +37.0% units
All other industries increased just 0.5% in units ordered, while food and consumer goods declined by 23.7%, A3 added.
The growth in the electronics segment occurred as investment grew in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, with strong demand for electronics supporting AI and other applications. Life sciences has also seen continued investment in domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing among others, said A3.
Automotive component orders were particularly strong despite earlier weakness among automotive manufacturing, said the organization. While OEM orders improved in Q3, they remained 17% below their year-earlier level through the first nine months of 2026.
“What stands out in the third quarter is not simply the magnitude of the growth, but how broadly it was distributed across the market,” stated Alex Shikany, executive vice president at A3. “Automotive OEM orders returned to positive growth, while automotive components and sectors such as semiconductors/electronics and life sciences posted significant gains. That broader mix is important because it points to a robotics market that is becoming increasingly diversified across industries and applications.”
Submit your innovation now!Cobot orders increase 56%, finds A3
Force- and power-limited or collaborative robots also posted a strong third quarter, with 1,831 units valued at $63.8 million ordered. This was an increase of about 56% in units compared with Q3 2025. Collaborative robots accounted for 16.7% of all robot units ordered during the quarter.
Through September, North American companies ordered 4,605 cobots valued at approximately $178 million, representing 15.9% of total robot units and 9.4% of order value.
Collaborative robots continue to be used across a wide range of applications and industries. In the first nine months of 2026, cobots accounted for 43.8% of robot orders in life sciences/pharma/biomed and 36.9% in semi & electronics/photonics.
Manufacturing activity continues expansion
The stronger robot order numbers come alongside improving manufacturing activity, said A3. The September Institute of Supply Chain Management (ISM) Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) registered 54.5, marking a ninth consecutive month of expansion, while the Federal Reserve said that U.S. manufacturing output increasing 0.3% in September.
Higher input costs, trade uncertainty, and the timing of large manufacturing projects remain factors to watch, noted A3. “But with robot orders strengthening across several industries, the North American market enters the final quarter of 2026 with positive momentum,” it said.
More detailed Q3 2026 market data and graphs are available upon request for press and through the A3 Vault for member companies. A3 said it is the leading global advocate for the benefits of automating.
A3 has also expanded its Market Intelligence resources with “Business of Automation,” a weekly show examining industry developments; Business of Automation on Substack, offering additional analysis and industry updates; and SIGNAL, a free research series covering robotics, automation, and AI.
Association members seeking deeper insights can subscribe to MI+ for forecasts, detailed datasets, dashboards and industry analysis. A3 members represent more than 1,500 manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, academic institutions, research groups, and consulting firms.
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