Five million industrial robots now operate in factories worldwide
The IFR's new global robot count gives buyers market context, but it does not establish whether a particular Chinese supplier fits an application.
Read analysis ↗RO
The China robotics briefing
What moves the industry.
What matters to buyers.
Reporting on China's industrial and collaborative robot market, with the specifications and sourcing context global teams need to make decisions.
REPORTING → CONTEXT → SOURCING
THE BRIEFChina's robot market•Industrial automation•Collaborative systems
01 / Editorial
Latest intelligence
What a new cobot launch should tell overseas buyers
Payload, reach and repeatability are only the start. A checklist for evaluating announcements.
Comparing 10 kg cobots: the missing questions
Separate stated specifications from application requirements and unverified claims.
Report
Track what changedNew models, market data and deployment signals.
Explain
Translate specs into decisionsClear context, source links and gaps to verify.
Connect
Move toward a shortlistStructured questions before supplier outreach.
02 / Sourcing intelligence
From headline to shortlist
01 / APPLICATION
Define the job
Welding, palletizing, machine tending or pick-and-place: start with the task, not the brand.
02 / FIT
Check the real constraints
Payload, reach, end effector, duty cycle, integration and local support all affect suitability.
03 / OUTREACH
Ask better questions
Use a concise specification brief to request comparable answers from suppliers.
Your next sourcing decision
Turn market signals into useful questions.
Explore the research first. Contact suppliers when the application is clear.
The news desk
China robotics, in context.
Market developments with a short assessment of what overseas buyers should check next.
Five million industrial robots now operate in factories worldwide
The IFR's new global robot count gives buyers market context, but it does not establish whether a particular Chinese supplier fits an application.
Read story ↗Buyer's desk
Buy for the application, not the headline.
A compact starting point for overseas teams assessing industrial and collaborative robots from China.
01 / BEFORE THE QUOTE
Describe the process
Task, workpiece, weight, required reach, speed, shifts and site constraints.
02 / COMPARE MODELS
Verify the full system
Robot arm, end effector, controller, software, safety assessment, installation and training.
03 / AFTER DELIVERY
Plan for support
Documentation, spare parts, service response and integrator availability in your market.
These are general procurement questions. Technical suitability and applicable requirements must be verified for each installation.
Sourcing brief
Have a specific automation task?
Outline it once, then request comparable information from suppliers.
About RobotOrient
Reporting with a buyer's perspective.
We follow China's robotics sector and explain which developments may matter to overseas industrial buyers.
Editorial approach
Each report links to its primary source, separates published facts from our assessment, and identifies questions buyers should verify. Supplier relationships, sponsorships and any commercial introductions will be disclosed beside relevant content.
Sources we monitor
Our initial watch list includes the International Federation of Robotics, DOBOT, SIASUN and Elite Robots. Inclusion on the watch list does not imply an endorsement or commercial relationship.
How we publish
We monitor primary sources and use AI assistance to draft source-linked reports. Reports publish only after evidence and relevance checks. Buyer assessments are editorial interpretations, and supplier relationships will be disclosed beside relevant content.
Sourcing brief
Tell us what the robot needs to do.
A focused brief makes supplier responses easier to compare.