Europe Automated Storage and Retrieval System Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)

The Europe Automated Storage and Retrieval System market were valued at USD 4488 million in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 7278 million by 2026 and grow at a CAGR of 8.39% over the forecast period (2021 - 2026). Since May 2020, many of the warehouse sites have been recovering after starting their operations post lockdown. However, the fluctuations caused in the starting four months of 2020 resulted in order delays and led time across the warehouse robotics supply chain throughout the year.​ Moreover, with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, robots and automation played a critical role in managing the situation. Furthermore, the situation was likely to bring new opportunities to the market. Ocado, a British online grocer, aimed to make its warehouse robotics and grocery home-delivery technology available to other supermarkets for a licensing fee.

Key Highlights

• Europe has been the earliest adopter of industrial automation, owing to increasing investments in the Industry 4.0 revolution. According to the CBI Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Europe accounts for more than one-third of the global Industry 4.0 investments. Western and Northern Europe are its main markets, especially Germany, where the term was initially coined and a frontrunner.
• Northern Europe is traditionally the most developed market in terms of the use of automation in warehouses. Besides the high labor costs, the working conditions at the factory have also prompted the adoption of sophisticated and advanced automation. In Scandinavia, System Logistics has supported essential clients in the food and beverage sector in effectively managing picking, warehousing, and material handling operations.
• Moreover, in warehouses across Europe, man and machine are frequently working more closely together, and a lack of an efficient and skilled workforce could accelerate automation further, according to JLL, an investment management company.
• Additionally, Germany is also increasing the adoption of Industrial Robots due to the growth of various industrial enterprises and increased automation adoption in storage and processing, primarily due to the increasing safety measures and labor costs. For instance, according to IFR, Germany remained the primary user in Europe with an operational stock of about 221,500 units which is about three times the stock of Italy (74,400 units), five times the supply of France (42,000 units), and about ten times the stock of the UK (21,700 units). Also, as per the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), in 2020, Germany has the third-highest robot density globally (346 units per 10,000 workers), after Singapore and South Korea. This increases the need for PLC, MES, HMI, SCADA, DCS, among other industrial control systems.
• Further, expanding cross-border e-commerce, increasing the volume of parcels being handled, and growing awareness among states with lesser automation contribute to faster growth. But, the demand for ASRS is volumetrically lower in other countries than the top nations, like Germany, France, and the United Kingdom in this region.

Key Market Trends

Automotive is Expected to Hold Significant Market Share

• Smart factory, which includes Automated Storage and Retrieval System that offers the automotive industry opportunities to react faster to the market requirements, reduce manufacturing downtimes, enhance the efficiency of supply chains, and expand production in the region.
• In Europe, leading countries like France and Germany invest heavily in machinery and equipment. The demand from automotive part suppliers increased due to a significant order for industrial robots from the motor vehicle sector. With the modernization and digitalization of production systems, the scope for employing innovative machinery and equipment is increasing.
• Due to the initiatives taken by the European Union, small- and medium-sized enterprises in Europe are also adopting automation to produce affordable, easy-to-install, and modular robots. Collaborative robots are also helpful to the increasing number of SMEs in their manufacturing process while also reducing their production times and labor costs.
• Moreover, Automakers and suppliers are moving toward using collaborative robots, known as cobots, for ASRS. Such devices often are smaller, have more agility, and can be safely deployed alongside human operators. For instance, BMW relies on cobots to improve the safety of workers within its plat and for the quality of goods and components produced. Other companies following the same include Nissan, Ford - specifically in their Cologne, Germany, plant.
• Further, as it has been identified that the auto assembly increased significantly using automation, showing a growth pattern in the number of cars being produced in the region while simultaneously cutting costs, the smart factory implementation in this sector has grown considerably.

United Kingdom Accounts For the Largest Market Share

• In the United Kingdom, the political, economic, and technological developments are impacting the growth of the manufacturing industry proportionally. Although the BREXIT vote sent shockwaves across all sectors, the manufacturing industry remained positive.
• In addition, the predicted labor shortage is strengthening the case for logistics automation as firms seek to make their operations less labor-intensive. High demand and opportunities for further market growth have invoked optimism among automated logistics suppliers.
• Furthermore, out of all the major automated material handling products, the automated storage, and retrieval system (AS/RS) is widely used in the United Kingdom due to the demand from the manufacturing, logistics, and distribution sectors.
• Moreover, in September 2020, the British government has invested GPB 147 million into the second round of "Manufacturing Made Smarter." This should enable UK Manufacturing companies to develop cost-effective, innovative solutions for deployment in the manufacturing sector.
• Further, Industore, an AS/RS solution provider in the United Kingdom, has a comprehensive product line used in warehouses, small storage units, and spacious storage units. ExMac Automation, another market leader in AS/RS solutions, supplies automated storage and retrieval crane systems (from high-capacity mini-load cranes and racking to high-bay warehouse cranes) for several industries sectors in the country.

Competitive Landscape

The Europe Automated Storage and Retrieval System market are fragmented and highly competitive. Product launches, high expense on research and development, partnerships and acquisitions, etc., are the prime growth strategies adopted by the companies in the region to sustain the intense competition. Some of the recent developments in the market are -

• March 2021 - Global spirits company Amber Beverage Group (ABG) has signed an agreement with Jungheinrich, the manufacturer of warehousing equipment, to purchase EUR 15.5 million worth of equipment needed to build ABG’s automated high-bay warehouse.
• August 2020 - Kardex has invested in the start-up company Rocket Solution GmbH, based in Unterhaching near Munich. The company develops innovative, standardized automatic storage and retrieval systems of the latest generation. Its innovative technology features open IoT and Web interfaces and can therefore be easily integrated into complete systems. Through Rocket’s innovative technology, Kardex takes another step towards standardized sub-systems and expands its strategically essential light goods area portfolio.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
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