Summary of China Industrial Robot & Automation Landscape (4Q25) Industry Overview - The total industrial automation (IA) market experienced a decline of -3% year-over-year (yoy) in 4Q25, with project/OEM markets at -6% and +1% yoy respectively. The full year 2025 showed a modest decline of -1% yoy, contrasting with Goldman Sachs' estimate of 0% growth [25][27]. - Total industrial robot (IR) sales reached 92,000 units in 4Q25, reflecting an increase of +18% yoy and +14% quarter-over-quarter (qoq). The full year 2025 sales growth was +14% yoy, totaling 336,000 units [25][30]. Market Share Insights - Domestic players maintained a majority market share of 54% in the IR market for 4Q25, a slight increase of +1 percentage point (pp) yoy but a decrease of -1 pp qoq. This share remained consistent for the full year 2025 [25][40]. - FANUC and Kuka (Midea) ranked as the top two players in the IR market, with ESTUN dropping to No. 3 with a 10% market share, and Inovance at No. 4 with a 9% share [25][40]. Segment Performance - **Small 6-axis Robots**: Domestic market share fell to 55% (-2 pp qoq/-1 pp yoy). FANUC led with a 13% share, while ESTUN and Inovance held 11% and 5% respectively [25][40]. - **Large 6-axis Robots**: Domestic share decreased to 30% (-3 pp qoq/-3 pp yoy). ESTUN maintained a 15% share, while Inovance improved to 3% [25][40]. - **SCARA Robots**: Domestic players held 58% of the market (-1 pp qoq/+3 pp yoy), with Inovance leading at 28% [25][40]. Component Market Insights - Inovance led the IA components market with a 27% share in servo motors, a decline of -4 pp qoq and yoy. It also held a 19% share in low-voltage inverters, down -3 pp qoq but up +2 pp yoy [26][40]. - The company ranked No. 4 in small PLCs with a 7% share, remaining flat qoq and yoy, and dropped to No. 6 in mid-to-large PLCs [26]. End-Market Growth - The 4Q25 showed significant growth in end-markets such as lithium batteries (+29% yoy), auto parts (+26% yoy), and semiconductor (+21% yoy). However, the solar sector lagged with a decline of -18% yoy [25][34]. Competitive Landscape - The competitive landscape remains intense, with domestic players facing pressure from both local and international competitors. The market dynamics are shifting rapidly, particularly in the SCARA and small 6-axis segments [25][40]. Key Takeaways - The industrial automation market is experiencing a downturn, but specific segments like industrial robots are showing resilience and growth. - Domestic players are maintaining a majority market share, but competition is intensifying, particularly from established international brands. - Growth in key end-markets indicates potential opportunities for recovery and expansion in the industrial automation sector. This summary encapsulates the critical insights from the 4Q25 report on the China Industrial Robot and Automation landscape, highlighting market trends, competitive dynamics, and growth opportunities.

Summary of China Industrial Robot & Automation Landscape (2Q25) Industry Overview - The total industrial automation (IA) market experienced a decline of -2% year-over-year (yoy) in 2Q25, with project and OEM markets declining by -3% and remaining flat at 0% respectively. Expectations for 3Q and 4Q25 are -1% and -2% yoy, with the full year projected to remain soft at -1% yoy [4][26][27]. Key Market Insights - Total industrial robot (IR) unit sales reached 86,000 in 2Q25, marking a significant increase of +20% yoy and +12% quarter-over-quarter (qoq). This performance improved compared to 1Q25, which saw +12% yoy and -1% qoq growth [4][26]. - Domestic brands captured 54% of the total IR market share, an increase of +4 percentage points (pp) both qoq and yoy. Domestic sales volume surged by +30% yoy and +20% qoq, significantly outpacing overseas brands, which grew by +10% yoy and +3% qoq [4][26][39]. Company Performance - **ESTUN** maintained its position as the market leader in industrial robots with an 11% market share, reflecting a +44% yoy and +15% qoq sales volume growth [4][39]. - **Inovance**, ranked 4th overall with a 7% market share, experienced flat sales volume yoy and a -6% qoq decline, although it gained market share in 6-axis robots [4][39]. - In the small 6-axis robot segment, ESTUN ranked 2nd with a 10% market share, while Inovance gained to 4th place with a 7% share, showing a remarkable +105% yoy sales volume increase [4][40]. Segment Performance - The strongest growth in robot types was seen in Cobots (+52% yoy), Large 6-axis (+21% yoy), and Small 6-axis (+18% yoy). SCARA robots grew by +10% yoy, while Delta robots showed modest growth of +4% yoy [4][26][35]. - By end-market, sectors such as Electronics, Auto parts, and Lithium battery showed strong double-digit yoy growth, while the Solar sector underperformed significantly with a -24% yoy decline [4][35]. Component Market Insights - Inovance maintained its 1 ranking in Servo with a stable 34% market share and increased its share in Low Voltage Inverter to 25% (+3pp yoy) [4][26]. - Inovance also broke into the top 5 for Large PLCs, securing the 4th position as the sole domestic player with a 6% market share [4][26]. Competitive Landscape - The competitive landscape indicates that domestic players are gaining ground against international competitors, with notable market share shifts observed in various segments [4][39]. - The overall market share for domestic brands in industrial robots increased to 54%, while overseas brands saw a decline to 46% [4][39]. Conclusion - The China industrial robot and automation market is witnessing a significant shift towards domestic brands, driven by strong sales growth and market share gains. The overall market remains under pressure, but certain segments and companies are performing exceptionally well, indicating potential investment opportunities in the domestic industrial automation sector [4][26][39].