Humanoid will deploy thousands of humanoid robots across Schaeffler manufacturing facilities under one of the largest disclosed industrial humanoid robotics agreements announced to date.
The phased rollout will begin in Germany before the end of 2026, with the companies targeting deployment of a four-digit number of wheeled humanoid units across Schaeffler’s global operations by 2032.
The agreement marks a significant milestone for London-based Humanoid, which was founded by Artem Sokolov in 2024, as manufacturers increasingly explore humanoid robotics to automate repetitive material handling and production support tasks.
Initial deployments will take place at Schaeffler sites in Herzogenaurach and Schweinfurt between December 2026 and June 2027. Early phases will focus on box handling applications, integration testing and validating stable operation in live production environments.
Following the initial rollout, the companies plan to expand the use of humanoid systems across wider manufacturing processes, including assembly and packaging tasks requiring greater dexterity.
The robots will be deployed under a Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, with Humanoid providing the systems alongside fleet management software, maintenance, technical support, updates and ongoing performance management.
As part of the agreement, Humanoid will also source actuators from Schaeffler under a separate five-year supply deal running through 2031. Schaeffler will become the preferred supplier for more than half of Humanoid’s joint actuator demand for its wheeled robotic platforms, with the partnership expected to result in the supply of a seven-digit number of actuators.
The deal follows a strategic partnership announced between the two companies in January 2026 and builds on a series of proof-of-concept projects.
“We’ve already seen strong proof-of-concept results, and now we’re moving into real-world operations where the value of humanoid robotics is proven.
“Together with Schaeffler, one of our key industrial partners, we are taking an important step toward making humanoid robotics part of global manufacturing operations.”
– Artem Sokolov, Humanoid founder.
Dr. Jochen Schroeder, Chief Operating Officer at Schaeffler AG, said the partnership reinforced Schaeffler’s position in advanced robotics and motion technology.
“By supporting the phased deployment of humanoid systems in real manufacturing environments and serving as a preferred supplier of actuators, we are contributing to the industrial scaling of this technology,” he said.
Industrial interest in humanoid robotics has accelerated in recent years as manufacturers look to address labour shortages, improve operational flexibility and automate physically repetitive tasks that are difficult to handle using conventional fixed automation systems.
The scale of the Humanoid-Schaeffler agreement signals growing confidence in the commercial viability of humanoid robotics within live manufacturing environments.
For more articles like this, visit our Automation channel
