Manufacturing Robots & Factory Robots in the UK
Manufacturing robots that bring affordable factory robotics to your production line. Proven ABB, KUKA and FANUC industrial robots — the same robots in factories worldwide — for welding, palletising, machine tending and material handling. Refurbished factory robots from £6,500, a fraction of the cost of buying new.
What are manufacturing robots?
Manufacturing robots are programmable industrial robot arms that carry out repetitive, heavy or high-precision production tasks. Today, robots in factories weld car bodies, load CNC machines, stack pallets and pick parts faster and more consistently than manual labour — around the clock, with fewer errors and fewer injuries.
Factory robotics used to be out of reach for many UK businesses. By choosing used and refurbished manufacturing robots, small and medium-sized manufacturers can automate for a fraction of the new price. Every robot we list shows its model, controller, payload, reach and price, so you can compare factory robots side by side.
Manufacturing robot prices by brand
Current UK prices for our ABB, KUKA and FANUC factory robots. Each price includes the robot arm and its controller.
From £6,500
Most models £9,500 – £16,000
IRC5 and S4C+ controllers. A wide range from 3 kg compact arms to 500 kg heavy-duty factory robots, including FlexPicker delta and palletising robots.
From £8,000
Most models £8,000 – £15,000
KRC2 ED05 and KRC4 controllers. Heavy-payload manufacturing robots for automotive and handling work, up to the 1,000 kg KR 1000 TITAN.
From £7,000
Most models £7,000 – £16,000
RJ3iB to R-30iB controllers. Reliable robots for arc welding, machine tending, pick and place and palletising, plus the CRX collaborative robot.
Factory robot price comparison: ABB vs KUKA vs FANUC
Compare similar manufacturing robots across the three brands by payload class and application.
| Robot class | ABB | KUKA | FANUC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small & compactUp to 10 kg · assembly, pick & place | IRB 120 / IRB 140 / IRB 1200 £8,000 – £11,000 | KR 10 R1100 £10,000 | M-6iB / LR Mate 200iC / 200iD £7,000 – £11,000 |
| Arc welding robots5–20 kg · MIG/TIG welding | IRB 1400 / IRB 1600 / IRB 2400 £6,500 – £11,000 | KR 16 R2010 £11,000 | ARC Mate 100iB / 120iBe / 120iC £7,500 – £14,000 |
| Medium payload20–70 kg · machine tending, handling | IRB 2600 / IRB 4400 / IRB 4600 £9,500 – £16,000 | KR 40 PA £10,000 | M-20iA / M-710iB / M-710iC £10,000 – £14,000 |
| Heavy payload100–250 kg · spot welding, heavy handling | IRB 6400R / 6600 / 6640 / 6650 / 6700 £10,000 – £16,000 | KR 100–240 incl. COMP & PRIME £8,000 – £12,000 | R-2000iA / iB / iC £10,000 – £15,000 |
| Extra-heavy payload250 kg + · castings, engine blocks | IRB 7600 (up to 500 kg) £13,000 – £14,000 | KR 360 / KR 500 / KR 1000 TITAN £15,000 – £48,000 | M-900iA (up to 600 kg) £16,000 |
| Palletising robotsEnd-of-line stacking | IRB 660 (250 kg) / IRB 260 £13,000 – £13,500 | KR 40 PA / KR 180 PA £10,000 | M-410iB/300 / M-410iB/450 £13,000 |
| Delta & cobotsHigh-speed picking · collaborative | IRB 340 / IRB 360 FlexPicker £9,000 – £10,000 | Ask us to source | CRX-10iA/L cobot £15,000 |
Prices are our current listed prices for the robot arm and controller. Tooling, guarding, delivery and integration are extra. Stock changes regularly — contact us to confirm availability.
Types of factory robots
Articulated 6-axis robots
The most common manufacturing robot — e.g. ABB IRB 6700, KUKA KR 210, FANUC R-2000iB. Human-arm-like movement for welding, handling and tending.
Palletising robots
4- or 5-axis robots such as the ABB IRB 660, KUKA KR 180 PA and FANUC M-410iB, built for fast, heavy stacking at the end of the line.
Arc welding robots
Hollow-wrist robots with welding software, such as the FANUC ARC Mate 100iB, ABB IRB 1400 and KUKA KR 16, for clean torch cable routing.
Collaborative robots (cobots)
Robots such as the FANUC CRX-10iA/L that can work safely alongside people — ideal for machine tending, packing and inspection.
Delta robots
Spider-like parallel robots such as the ABB IRB 360 FlexPicker, built for very fast picking of light products in food and packaging.
Heavy-payload robots
Robots like the KUKA KR 1000 TITAN and FANUC M-900iA that lift engine blocks, castings, glass and stone weighing hundreds of kilos.
How are robots in factories used?
Robots in factories take on the dull, dirty and dangerous jobs so your team can focus on higher-value work. The most common applications for manufacturing robots are:
Robotic welding
Spot welding and arc (MIG/TIG) welding with repeatable, high-quality seams.
Material handling
Moving heavy parts, castings and fixtures safely between processes.
Palletising
Fast, accurate end-of-line stacking of boxes, bags, crates and bottles.
Machine tending
Loading and unloading CNC machines, presses and injection moulders.
Pick and place
High-speed picking, sorting and packing of products and components.
Assembly
Precise, repeatable assembly of automotive, electrical and consumer parts.
Painting & coating
Even spray finishes with less waste and lower operator exposure.
Deburring & finishing
Consistent grinding, polishing and deburring of metal and plastic parts.
Benefits of robots in manufacturing
Labour shortages, rising costs and pressure on quality are pushing more UK manufacturers towards factory robotics. Here’s what robots in factories deliver:
Higher productivity
Factory robots work 24/7 with consistent cycle times, no breaks and no shift-change slowdowns.
Consistent quality
Repeatable accuracy to fractions of a millimetre means fewer defects, less scrap and less rework.
Safer workplaces
Robots take on heavy lifting, welding fumes, sharp edges and repetitive strain tasks.
Lower cost per part
Reduce labour cost per unit, material waste and energy per part as volumes grow.
Solve labour shortages
Fill hard-to-staff roles and redeploy skilled people to higher-value work like programming and quality.
Scalable & flexible
Reprogram the same robot for new products, or add robots as demand grows — no long recruitment cycles.
Want to Invest in Factory Robots?
Get in touch for a free consultation with our robotics experts for a tailored solution. Try our ROI Manufacturing Robots Calculator below.
Industries using our manufacturing robots
Automotive
Body-in-white spot welding, press linking and heavy component handling.
Metal fabrication
Arc welding, cutting and deburring of steel and aluminium parts.
Food & beverage
Packing, palletising and case handling on high-speed lines.
Plastics & rubber
Injection moulding machine tending, trimming and part removal.
Logistics & warehousing
Palletising, depalletising and order picking for distribution centres.
Aerospace & engineering
Drilling, milling, sealing and handling of large components.
Manufacturing robot costs: new vs refurbished
A new industrial robot typically costs £18,000 to over £100,000 for the arm and controller alone. The same model bought refurbished often costs 50–80% less — which is why so many UK manufacturers start their factory robotics journey with a refurbished robot.
New robots
- Latest controller and software
- Manufacturer warranty
- Highest upfront cost
- Lead times can be several months
Refurbished robots
- Same reach, payload & accuracy
- 50–80% lower purchase price
- In-stock robots, shorter lead times
- Faster ROI and payback
| ABB model | Typical new price | Our price |
|---|---|---|
| IRB 120 (3 kg) | £18k – £25k | £10,000 |
| IRB 1600 (6–10 kg) | £24k – £34k | £10,000 |
| IRB 2600 (20 kg) | £30k – £45k | £14,000 |
| IRB 4600 (20–40 kg) | £40k – £55k | £16,000 |
| IRB 6700 (150–235 kg) | £60k – £90k | £16,000 |
| IRB 7600 (150–500 kg) | £75k – £110k | from £13,000 |
Typical new prices are indicative UK ranges for the robot arm and controller.
What else is included in a manufacturing robot investment?
When you buy manufacturing robots, the robot arm and controller are only part of the cost. Budget for the complete robot cell:
| Cost item | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Robot arm + controller | The robot, controller, teach pendant and cables |
| End-of-arm tooling | Grippers, vacuum cups, welding torches, tool changers |
| Safety & guarding | Fencing, light curtains, interlocks, safety PLC |
| Integration & programming | Cell design, robot programming, PLC/line integration |
| Installation & commissioning | Delivery, positioning, wiring, testing and sign-off |
| Training | Operator and maintenance training |
| Ongoing running costs | Servicing, spares, batteries, grease, energy |
ROI and payback
Return on investment (ROI) tells you how quickly a manufacturing robot pays for itself. Compare the total project cost with the yearly savings the robot delivers — typically labour, scrap, rework and overtime.
Because a refurbished robot costs a fraction of a new one, the payback period is often cut in half. Many single-robot cells pay for themselves in 12–24 months, and multi-shift operations can see payback in under a year.
Example payback calculation
- Refurbished robot + controller£12,000
- Tooling, guarding & integration£18,000
- Total investment£30,000
- Yearly saving (labour, scrap, overtime)£28,000
- Payback period≈ 13 months
Illustrative example only. The same cell with a new £45,000 robot would take around 27 months to pay back.
What can affect manufacturing robot ROI?
Shifts per day
A robot running two or three shifts saves two to three times as much as one running a single shift — the biggest driver of payback.
Purchase price
Choosing a refurbished robot instead of new can cut the total investment by tens of thousands of pounds.
Integration complexity
Simple pick-and-place cells cost far less to integrate than multi-robot welding lines with vision and conveyors.
Cycle time & throughput
The faster and more consistent the robot runs, the more parts it produces and the quicker it pays back.
Uptime & maintenance
Planned servicing and available spares keep the robot running. Unplanned downtime eats into savings.
Product mix & changeovers
Frequent product changes need flexible tooling and programming time — plan for them upfront.
Quality gains
Lower scrap, rework and warranty claims add savings that are often left out of ROI calculations.
Labour costs
Higher wages, overtime and agency rates in your area make automation pay back faster.
Skills in-house
Teams that can program and maintain the robot themselves reduce ongoing support costs.
ROI Manufacturing Robots Calculator
Use our tools to estimate costs and savings through process automation.
ROI Calculator – Manufacturing Robots
Estimate how quickly factory robotics can pay for itself based on your production setup.
Results
Annual Savings: £0
Payback Period: 0 years
ROI Estimate: 0%
*This is an estimate based on typical factory robotics performance. Actual results vary depending on application and system design.
Get a Detailed ROI AnalysisInvesting in factory robots: key considerations
Most robot projects that disappoint fail for the same few reasons. Avoid these common mistakes when buying manufacturing robots:
Instead: start with the application, then pick the cheapest robot that comfortably meets the payload, reach and cycle time.
Instead: add the gripper or tool weight to the part weight, and allow a 20–30% safety margin for speed and wrist load.
Instead: map every pick, place and machine position before buying — a robot that can’t reach is the costliest mistake.
Instead: include tooling, guarding, integration, installation and training in your total project cost.
Instead: start with a stable, repetitive, high-volume task — not your most complex or variable one.
Instead: choose a controller (IRC5, KRC4, R-30iB…) your team or integrator already knows, with spares readily available.
Instead: plan guarding, risk assessment and UKCA/CE compliance from day one — not after installation.
Instead: train operators and maintenance staff so the robot keeps running when your integrator has left.
Manufacturing robots vs outsourcing vs manual labour
Not sure if factory robots are the right choice? Here’s how robotic automation compares with outsourcing production or relying on manual labour.
| Factor | Manufacturing robots | Outsourcing | Manual labour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Medium — lower with refurbished robots | Low | Low (recruitment & training) |
| Ongoing cost | Low — servicing and energy | High — supplier margin per part | High — wages, overtime, holidays |
| Output & hours | 24/7 with consistent cycle times | Depends on supplier capacity | Limited by shifts and fatigue |
| Quality & consistency | Highly repeatable | Varies by supplier | Varies by operator and shift |
| Control & lead times | Full control in-house | Shipping delays and supply risk | Full control, but affected by absence |
| Scalability | Add shifts or robots quickly | Subject to supplier minimums | Slow — hiring and training |
| Health & safety | Removes people from hazardous tasks | Risk sits with the supplier | Exposure to injury and strain |
| Flexibility | High — reprogram for new parts | Low — new contracts needed | Very high for one-off tasks |
| Best for | Repetitive, high-volume or hazardous work | Non-core parts and peak demand | Low volume, highly variable tasks |
Why choose Robot Store for manufacturing robots?
Robot Store helps UK manufacturers adopt factory robotics affordably, specialising in leading robot brands and ensuring readily available parts and skills.
Our solutions range from standalone robots to automated systems, guaranteeing smooth operation and high efficiency. We integrate advanced manufacturing robots and control systems for scalable production solutions.
- Custom design and simulation
- PLC integration
- Safety compliance
- Training support
- UK-Based Robotics SuppliersUK supply of industrial robots and equipment for manufacturers.
- Clear prices in £Every robot is listed with its price, controller, payload and reach — no hidden "price on request".
- New & Refurbished RobotsChoose from new, used, and refurbished robots based on your needs and budget.
- Programming & CommissioningSupport with robot programming and installation to prepare your system for production
- Robotic IntegrationSupport integrating industrial robots with tooling and existing processes.
- Spare Parts & Technical SupportAccess parts and support for your robotic equipment.
- UK & European SupplySupply and support for manufacturers in the UK and Europe, based on project needs.
Looking to buy, set up, and get your manufacturing robots running?
Industries are using robots in manufacturing
Robots in Factories — Real Examples
Factory robots are used across different manufacturing environments for repetitive production, handling and processing tasks. The examples below show some common ways robots can be applied in factories.
- Automotive Factory
Robotic welding and material handling can be used for repeatable production processes within automotive manufacturing. - Metal Fabrication
Robots can support robotic welding, machine tending and other repetitive processes in metal fabrication. - Packaging Operation
Robotic systems can automate picking, packing and palletising tasks where repeatable movement is required. - Manufacturing Line
Robots can be integrated into production lines for assembly, component handling and repetitive transfer operations. - Coating Operation
Painting robots can provide repeatable movement for suitable painting and finishing applications.
Planning a Factory Robotics Project?
Explore specific robotic applications for different manufacturing processes.
Automation Is a Process, Not a Plug-In
Factory automation isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. But with the right planning and expert support, it can revolutionize your operations. Whether you’re starting small or planning full-scale transformation, don’t just rely on tools. Focus on strategy and support for the best results. Contact the experts.
Manufacturing robots FAQ
What are manufacturing robots?
Manufacturing robots are programmable industrial robots used to automate production tasks in factories and manufacturing environments. Applications can include welding, palletising, assembly, painting, milling, machine tending and material handling.
What types of robots are used in manufacturing?
Common manufacturing robot types include articulated robots, SCARA robots, Cartesian robots, Delta robots and collaborative robots. The appropriate type depends on the application, payload, reach, speed, accuracy and production requirements.
What can factory robots be used for?
factory Applications
Factory robots can be used for applications such as welding, palletising, assembly, painting, milling and material handling. They can also be configured for other repetitive manufacturing processes depending on the requirements of the application.
How much do manufacturing robots cost?
Manufacturing robot costs vary according to the robot model, payload, reach, condition, tooling, safety equipment and level of integration. Used and refurbished robots can cost several thousand pounds, while new robots and complete robotic cells can cost considerably more. See our full guide to robot costs.
Should I buy a new, used or refurbished manufacturing robot?
The choice depends on your application, production requirements, budget, required specification and equipment availability. New, used and refurbished industrial robots can each be suitable for different manufacturing projects.
Can Robot Store supply complete robotic cells?
Yes. We can supply industrial robots and support complete robotic solutions, including robot selection, programming, integration, installation and commissioning, depending on the project requirements.
How do I choose the right manufacturing robot?
Choose the right factory robotics
Robot selection should consider the application, payload, reach, cycle time, production volume, tooling, robot configuration, working environment and budget. We can help assess your requirements and identify a suitable robot or robotic solution.
Can manufacturing robots be integrated into an existing factory?
Yes. Industrial robots can be integrated with existing machinery, tooling, conveyors, PLCs and other production equipment where the application and safety requirements allow. The integration scope depends on the existing equipment and the proposed robotic system.
Ready to automate your manufacturing process?
Tell us what you manufacture, the process you want to automate, required payload and reach, and your production requirements. Our team can help identify a suitable manufacturing robot or complete robotic solution.
