After two years of falling or stagnant sales, there was a sharp recovery in Japan in 2000. Sales of all types of industrial robots surged by 32% over 1999, reaching almost 47,000 units. As from 2001, data for Japan exclude almost all dedicated robots (only dedicated robots for machining are included). Data for 2000 and 2001 are thus not comparable. Between 2001 and 2002, however, sales in Japan fell by almost 11% to about 25,400 units. A buoyant recovery started in 2003 when the market grew by almost 25% to 31,600 units.

From 1995 to 2000, the robot market in the United States was booming every second year and, in the years between, it was flat or falling. In 1995, 1997 and 1999 it increased by 32%, 28% and 37%, respectively. By contrast, in 1996 and 1998, the market dropped by 5% and 13%, respectively, while in 2000 it was almost flat (+1%). However, the highest sale of multipurpose industrial robots, in their strict definition, ever recorded was in 2000 when it reached nearly 13,000 units. In 2001, the market fell by nearly 17% to 10,800 units followed by another drop of 8% in 2002 to just under 10,000 units. In 2003, however, there was a sharp recovery. The market expanded by 28% to about 12,700 units.