MARCH 22, 2023 — U.S. capital expenditures for robotic equipment totaled $11,536 million and accounted for 1.1% of total equipment expenditures in 2021, according to new Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES) estimates released today. ACES estimates by kind of business add detail to national-level estimates of investment in machinery and equipment.

Other highlights:

• In 2021, three sectors (Manufacturing, Retail Trade, and Health Care and Social Assistance) accounted for 91.9% of total robotic equipment expenditures.
• The Manufacturing sector was the largest investor, accounting for 74.4% of all robotic equipment expenditures. Capital investment in robotic equipment in the Manufacturing sector increased 73.6% from 2020 to 2021.
• The Retail Trade sector was the second-largest investor, accounting for 11.4% of all robotic equipment expenditures.
• General medical and surgical hospitals invested $490 million in robotic equipment and accounted for 69.6% of overall spending for robotic equipment in the Health Care and Social Assistance sector.

Capital expenditures for both industrial and service robotic equipment were collected for the first time in the 2018 ACES. Growing interest and high demand by researchers, congressional members and other groups led to measuring robotic expenditures to provide insight into robotic adoption intensity and its impact on employment and productivity. Robotic equipment expenditures for both 2018 and 2019 were associated with companies’ primary business activity. Beginning with the 2020 ACES, the estimates reflect a different way of collecting the data. Specifically, data were requested for North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industries in which the robotic investment was made.

No news release associated with this product. Tip sheet only.

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