Schaeffler Expands Into Humanoid Robotics With New Partnership in China
German motion technology company Schaeffler AG is deepening its push into humanoid robotics through a strategic partnership with Chinese robotics developer Leju Robotics Technology Co., Ltd.. The collaboration marks Schaeffler’s first formal partnership with a Chinese humanoid robotics company and reflects the growing global race to industrialize humanoid machines.
The partnership will focus on industrial applications where humanoid robots could support factory operations, including facility inspection, equipment operation assistance, logistics tasks, and collaborative work alongside human employees. Over time, Schaeffler expects humanoid robots to become part of its own manufacturing ecosystem, with plans to integrate a mid-four-digit number of humanoids into production facilities by 2035.
A Strategic Move Into the Humanoid Ecosystem
Schaeffler CEO Klaus Rosenfeld said humanoid robotics has emerged as a key strategic focus for the company as the technology begins to transition from research labs into industrial environments.
“With Leju Robotics, we are gaining a strong, innovative partner in one of the most dynamic growth markets for humanoids,” Rosenfeld said. “With our eight product families and decades of manufacturing excellence and innovative strength, we are excellently positioned here.”
The company sees humanoid robotics as a natural extension of its long-standing expertise in motion technology and industrial manufacturing systems. Schaeffler produces a wide range of components used across robotic systems, including precision gears, bearings, actuators, motors, sensors, and energy management technologies.
These systems form the mechanical backbone of robotic platforms, supporting key capabilities such as actuation, sensing, motion control, and thermal and battery management.
Combining Hardware Expertise With Robot Development
Under the agreement, Schaeffler will contribute core hardware technologies and manufacturing expertise, while Leju Robotics will provide humanoid robot research, design, and industrial-scale production capabilities.
According to Leju Robotics Vice President Zhendong Ke, the partnership aims to accelerate the industrial deployment of humanoid systems by combining complementary strengths.
“Schaeffler has in-depth expertise in high-end equipment manufacturing and industrial automation, while Leju Robotics offers insights in research and development and transfer to industrial-scale manufacturing of humanoid robots,” Ke said.
The companies plan to focus on real-world deployments inside industrial environments, allowing robots to collect operational data that can be used to refine machine learning models and improve robot capabilities over time.
China as a Key Market for Humanoid Robotics
The collaboration also highlights China’s growing importance in the global humanoid robotics ecosystem. Dr. Yilin Zhang, Regional CEO Greater China for Schaeffler, noted that the technology represents a major growth opportunity, particularly in China’s rapidly expanding robotics sector.
“Humanoid robotics is one of Schaeffler’s strategic business areas and has enormous market potential, especially in China,” Zhang said.
By partnering with Leju Robotics, Schaeffler gains direct access to one of the fastest-moving humanoid robotics markets while positioning itself as a key supplier within the emerging global humanoid supply chain.
Building a Portfolio of Humanoid Partnerships
The agreement with Leju Robotics is part of a broader strategy by Schaeffler to build partnerships across the humanoid robotics ecosystem.
Earlier this year, the company announced a multi-year collaboration with UK startup Humanoid to deploy hundreds of humanoid robots across Schaeffler facilities over the next five years. Initial beta deployments are expected between 2026 and 2027 to test integration, safety systems, cybersecurity, and operational performance. Later phases could expand toward Robot-as-a-Service and capital deployment models.
Schaeffler has also partnered with German robotics company Neura Robotics to co-develop compact high-torque actuators for humanoid robots, targeting critical joint systems such as shoulders, elbows, and wrists. That partnership also includes plans to integrate thousands of humanoid robots across Schaeffler’s global manufacturing network by 2035.
Together, these collaborations position Schaeffler as both a technology supplier and early industrial adopter of humanoid robots, giving the company direct insight into how these systems perform inside real production environments.
From Automation to Embodied AI
For traditional industrial suppliers like Schaeffler, humanoid robotics represents the next evolution of factory automation. Instead of building single-purpose robotic arms or fixed automation systems, humanoids promise more flexible machines capable of performing a wide variety of tasks in environments designed for humans.
But achieving that vision will require extensive testing in real production environments—something partnerships like the one with Leju Robotics are designed to accelerate.
By combining component manufacturing, robotics hardware, and operational data from real factories, Schaeffler and its partners are betting that humanoid robots will gradually move from experimental platforms into everyday industrial tools.
If those expectations hold, the factory floor of the 2030s may look very different from today—one where humans and humanoid robots work side by side as part of the same production system.
