This article is part of the results of The Biggest Fleet 2024. Click here for all results
There are still clear regional preferences in the market penetration of individual manufacturers. In North America, the US manufacturer Tennant and the Canadian robotics experts from Avidbots dominate. Chinese manufacturers are gaining a foothold in Europe, while European manufacturers are solid in the microbots segment. Singapore is strengthening its domestic brands, but the Chinese market remains a blind spot for foreign countries.
1. North America: Tennant, Avidbots and ICE Cobotics dominate
Unsurprisingly, North American brands Tennant and Avidbots dominate their domestic market. Tennant is known for its wide range of autonomous floor-cleaning machines that cover a variety of applications. Some of the most prominent machines include:
T7AMR: A compact ride-on scrubber dryer ideal for large open areas such as airports and convention centers.
T380AMR: Designed for smaller spaces and narrow aisles, suitable for facilities with limited space.
T16AMR: Tennant’s most powerful machine, designed for medium to large-sized facilities such as warehouses. With the X4 ROVR, Tennant is also introducing the first product designed as a fully autonomous machine.
Avidbots is another major supplier in North America, mainly known for the Neo, an autonomous floor-cleaning robot. This robot offers fully autonomous cleaning and uses advanced AI-based software for dynamic planning and obstacle avoidance. The Neo 2W version is specially designed for warehouses and industrial environments and is used by DHL North America, among others.
Interestingly, based on the ranking and our research, the Chinese manufacturer ICE Cobotics, which plays a rather minor role in the European market, is extremely well represented in the USA. On the one hand, the large sales figures at the largest chain stores help, but notable successes in the education sector also play a role.
2. China and Asia: on the domestic market and in developing markets
In China, many companies are strongly represented in the domestic market but are increasingly expanding their reach to international markets. Manufacturers like Gausium and Pudu Robotics focus heavily on Asian markets and are slowly working their way into Europe and the US. It certainly helps that the Chinese government has proclaimed robotics in all sectors as a key growth driver for the Chinese economy in the coming years and decades. Gausium offers a wide range of autonomous cleaning robots and has recently closed a financing round to drive expansion into new markets. The company is known for its AI-based floor cleaning and delivery robots. With Phantas, the Shanghai-based company has created a real success story that is also very popular in the European market thanks to its compact design. The most recent example is the order for 170 Gausium Phantas from the drugstore giant ROSSMANN. Through international alliances, LionsBot, founded in Singapore, is working to raise capital and improve access to the European market. The company’s first successes are already visible in the ranking. Among others, the German FM heavyweight WISAG now relies entirely on Singaporean robots.
3. Europe: innovative solutions with microbots and large robots
In Europe, smaller microbots and larger robots have established themselves on the market. That is why European fleets also show the highest brand and device class diversity in the ranking. In addition to the microbot manufacturers Nexaro, i-team, Cleanfix, and ZACO, there is still enough space for niche providers with specialized solutions, e.g., for industrial use. One example is KEMARO from Switzerland, which has developed the K900, a robotic sweeper particularly suitable for use in production plants and warehouses. With Asian manufacturers’ increasing importance to the European market, it will be interesting to see how European manufacturers such as KEMARO, ADLATUS Robotics, or Kärcher defend themselves and use their home advantage in the coming years.
List of manufacturers
With so many manufacturers, it can be easy to lose track of what’s what. That’s why we’ve put together a directory of manufacturers as an additional service.
This article is part of the results of The Biggest Fleet 2024. Click here for all results