Schaeffler to deploy hundreds of Humanoid robots in its factories - The Robot Report
“Our collaboration with Schaeffler allows us to validate and scale humanoid deployment with clear requirements, measurable outcomes, and long-term plans,” he added.
Key takeaways
Recent reports indicate that humanoid robots are moving from prototype demonstrations toward limited commercial deployment. Chinese firm UBTECH claimed the world’s first mass delivery of its Walker S2 model, shipping over 1,000 units to factories in 2025, though deployment remains early‑stage. In Europe, the UK‑based startup Humanoid has completed a proof‑of‑concept with Siemens, where its wheeled HMND 01 Alpha robot achieved continuous autonomous operation for more than 30 minutes and met throughput targets of 60 tote moves per hour in a Siemens electronics plant. Humanoid is also partnering with Schaeffler to scale up hundreds of bipedal robots in German factories, with beta‑stage units slated for initial deployment in 2026‑27. Meanwhile, AGIBOT announced that it shipped more than 5,100 humanoid units in 2025, making it one of the largest mass‑production contributors and projecting rapid market growth to millions of units by the mid‑2030s. At CES 2026, analysts highlighted that many newly unveiled bipedal robots still fall short of promised capabilities, with performance issues and limited battery stamina cited as major barriers to widespread household use. Overall, the sector is witnessing a shift from laboratory breakthroughs to early‑stage industrial pilots and modest volume shipments, while practical challenges such as safety certification, battery life and reliable autonomy continue to limit broader adoption.
“Our collaboration with Schaeffler allows us to validate and scale humanoid deployment with clear requirements, measurable outcomes, and long-term plans,” he added. “Together, we are laying the groundwork for humanoid robots to become a practical and reliable part of industrial environments within just a few years.”
Sokolov founded Humanoid in 2024, and the company has more than 200 engineers, researchers, and innovators from top global tech companies. With offices in London, Boston, and Vancouver, Humanoid said it is building commercially viable, scalable, and safe robots for real-world applications. ## Humanoid to deploy hundreds of robots into production
Over the next five years, the companies agreed to bring hundreds of Humanoid’s robots into Schaeffler’s production facilities, fostering further industrial automation. Beyond deployment, the partnership covers actuator supply, data collection, skill development, and other critical areas.
Initial deployments are scheduled to begin with beta-stage robots in 2026 and 2027. This phase will focus on validating technical integration; operational performance; and compliance with Schaeffler’s system, safety, IT, and security requirements. Humanoid recently noted that it went from a concept to a functional prototype of its HMND 01 mobile manipulator in just seven months. The company’s HMND 01 Alpha Bipedal model achieved stable locomotion only 48 hours after final assembly.
Schaeffler to be preferred partner for actuators
“As a motion technology company, we want to play a key role in the growing humanoid robotics market,” stated Klaus Rosenfeld, CEO of Schaeffler AG. “To do so, we are relying on our decades-long manufacturing excellence and industrialization expertise. With Humanoid, we are gaining an attractive partner in Europe that will enable us to drive forward joint innovations in the field of humanoid robotics.”
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