Agility Robotics announced that Schaeffler Group, a global motion technology company, has made a minority investment in the firm and signed an agreement to acquire humanoid robots from Agility for use across Schaeffler’s international manufacturing sites. The announcement was made at the Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon, Portugal.
Schaeffler’s investment and planned deployment of Agility’s humanoid robots, specifically the Digit model, align with Schaeffler’s strategic goals to integrate advanced automation across its global network of 100 manufacturing plants by 2030.
In a statement, Schaeffler AG’s Chief Operating Officer Andreas Schick highlighted the importance of implementing innovative manufacturing solutions in light of industry disruptions, describing humanoid robots as integral to future operational success. According to Schick, the collaboration with Agility Robotics will enhance Schaeffler’s capacity to adapt and scale automation in its manufacturing processes.
Peggy Johnson, CEO of Agility Robotics, expressed anticipation for the partnership, noting the potential for Digit to transform operations in manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing. She outlined Agility’s objective of developing humanoid robots that can safely work alongside humans outside traditional safety enclosures, a goal Johnson believes Agility can achieve within the next two years: ““While our technology is helping companies like Schaeffler transform their manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing businesses, scaling the use of humanoid robots will require them to work cooperatively with humans and outside of the safety cages they are in today. I am confident that in the next 24 months, Agility will be the first company to deliver a safe humanoid robot that will be able to work alongside people.”
Earlier in 2024, Agility Robotics became the first company to commercially deploy humanoid robots under a Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model through an agreement with logistics provider GXO. This deployment marks a significant step toward scaling humanoid robots in operational environments.
