ANN ARBOR, MI-New orders for industrial robots jumped 28% through September 2003, according to figures released by Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the industry's trade group.
North American robotics suppliers received orders for 10,051 robots valued at $698.2 million from North American manufacturing companies in the first nine months of 2003. An additional 331 robots valued at $29.3 million were ordered by manufacturing companies from outside North America. The combined total of 10,382 robots valued at $727.5 million represents an increase of 28% in units and 15% in dollars over the same period in 2002.