Study on Construction Automation in China

Eurasia Development Group: China’s construction robotics market is estimated at CNY 4 trillion.

Eurasia Development Group presents a study of construction automation in China and analyzes the key factors driving the rapid development of robotics in the industry.

Amid rapid urbanization, a shortage of skilled labor, and increasingly stringent environmental requirements, the automation of construction processes is becoming a key instrument for improving the efficiency and sustainability of the industry.

Key Findings

• China’s construction market exceeds CNY 4 trillion, creating substantial potential for the adoption of robotics.
• In 2022, 921 construction robots were produced, representing 42% year-on-year growth.
• 81% of surveyed developers plan to adopt robotics within the next ten years.
• More than ten Chinese manufacturers are active across four major clusters: site preparation, core construction, finishing, and inspection/cleaning.

Market Drivers

Declining margins, shortages of skilled labor, and increasingly stringent environmental requirements are accelerating the digitalization of China’s construction industry. At the same time, IT spending remains below 0.1% of total budgets, highlighting significant room for further growth in automation and robotics.

What This Means for Russian Players

• Turnkey pilot projects with Chinese OEMs to rapidly validate technologies on Russian construction sites.
• Establishment of joint ventures or technology licensing for finishing and inspection robots to reduce CapEx.

Expert Comment
“China has moved from experimental pilots to the systematic scaling of construction robotics,” says Konstantin Matveenkov, Head of Analytics at Eurasia Development Group. “Partnerships with Chinese manufacturers can already provide Russian construction companies with tangible advantages in project costs and implementation timelines.”