Europe Steps Forward: Wandercraft and SAPA Partner to Deploy Humanoid Robots in Automotive Manufacturing

Wandercraft, a global leader in autonomous humanoid robotics, has announced a deployment partnership with SAPA Group, Italy’s pioneering “One-Shot Company” and Tier 1 automotive supplier. The collaboration will bring Calvin-40, Wandercraft’s heavy-payload, modular humanoid robot, into SAPA’s manufacturing operations — marking a new milestone in Europe’s industrial robotics landscape.

Building on Wandercraft’s strategic partnership with Renault Group, this agreement expands the company’s industrial network from OEMs to Tier 1 suppliers, accelerating learning and deployment across real-world manufacturing environments. It also establishes SAPA as Italy’s first industrial manufacturer to formally integrate humanoid robotics into its automation roadmap.

Calvin-40 by Wandercraft carrying a heavy box in production environment.

“This partnership reflects our use-case-driven philosophy,” said Matthieu Masselin, CEO and co-founder of Wandercraft. “Calvin-40 is modular by design, built to solve specific industrial problems first — like heavy-load handling and repetitive motion — before scaling toward general-purpose use. SAPA’s commitment to innovation makes them an ideal partner as we redefine what automation looks like across the value chain.”

The first deployment phase will focus on high-precision, repetitive handling of large components, where Wandercraft’s humanoids can operate with dexterity and endurance. The partnership will also include co-development of workflows to ensure every use case aligns with real-world industrial demands — combining autonomy with human oversight for maximum efficiency and safety.

“For SAPA, this is about leading the next era of factory transformation,” said the SAPA Management Team. “Partnering with Wandercraft reinforces our belief that the future of manufacturing lies in intelligent, adaptable systems that scale across plants and countries.”

According to BofA Global Research, humanoid robot shipments are projected to surge from 18,000 units in 2025 to as many as 10 million annually by 2035, driven by demographic shifts, AI advances, and maturing industrial design. With partnerships now spanning both OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, Wandercraft is positioning Europe as a serious contender in the humanoid race — translating physical AI from prototype to production.

“We’re building a massive dataset of real-world human motion — over 100 robots performing more than a million actions per month,” Masselin added. “That’s how artificial intelligence becomes physical intelligence. Europe is proving that humanoids can deliver genuine industrial value.”