Humanoid and Bosch Team Up to Manufacture HMND 01 Humanoid Robots for Europe

Industrial humanoid robots are moving from prototypes to real factory deployments. A new partnership between UK‑based robotics company Humanoid and Bosch aims to accelerate that shift by bringing the company’s HMND 01 robot into large‑scale production for the European market. The agreement follows successful logistics trials and is paired with a major deployment deal with German manufacturer Schaeffler, positioning Humanoid for rapid industrial rollout.

The Bosch–Humanoid manufacturing partnership

Humanoid has selected Bosch as a key manufacturing partner to produce its HMND 01 industrial humanoid robots for Europe. The collaboration is intended to move the robot platform from limited prototypes and pilot deployments to mass production for industrial customers.

According to reporting on the deal, the plan for large‑scale deployment came after a successful proof‑of‑concept showing the robot performing complex industrial workflows. Under the agreement, Bosch contributes manufacturing expertise and strategic technical guidance to help industrialize the platform.

For Humanoid—a startup focused on automation of physical labor—partnering with a large industrial manufacturer provides a practical path to scale production across Europe.

What the proof‑of‑concept demonstrated

Before the manufacturing agreement, Humanoid conducted proof‑of‑concept trials in industrial logistics environments. These trials demonstrated the robot’s ability to handle real intralogistics workflows, including autonomous navigation and manipulation tasks typical of factory and warehouse operations.

The HMND 01 platform is designed for tasks such as:

• Moving containers and boxes within logistics facilities
• Picking and placing items between pallets, carts, or workstations
• Supporting repetitive material‑handling workflows

In other logistics trials, the robot has autonomously navigated to a designated pallet, retrieved a container, and delivered it to a trolley before repeating the cycle as part of a continuous workflow.

These operations rely on KinetIQ, Humanoid’s in‑house AI framework. KinetIQ orchestrates fleets of robots and coordinates their perception, movement, and manipulation tasks across industrial environments.

The system is designed to control robots with different physical configurations—such as wheeled mobile manipulators and bipedal humanoids—while integrating with logistics and manufacturing systems.

Schaeffler’s role: deployment and component supply

Alongside the Bosch manufacturing partnership, Humanoid has signed a major agreement with Schaeffler, a German motion‑technology company and global industrial supplier.

Under this agreement:

• Schaeffler will deploy a four‑digit number of Humanoid robots across its global manufacturing facilities.
• The rollout begins in late 2026 at facilities in Herzogenaurach and Schweinfurt, Germany.
• Deployment will follow a phased schedule through 2032.

The partnership also includes a supply‑chain component. Schaeffler will act as a preferred supplier of actuators for Humanoid’s robotic platforms, providing critical motion components for the robots.

This dual role makes Schaeffler both a major early customer and a core hardware supplier in the ecosystem around Humanoid’s robots.

Building the two ingredients for scale

Humanoid’s recent partnerships address two major barriers that often slow robotics startups: manufacturing capacity and real‑world deployment.

• Bosch provides industrial manufacturing capability to produce robots at scale for the European market.
• Schaeffler provides guaranteed demand and operational deployment across live factory environments.

Together, these agreements create a pipeline that connects production, components, and real factory use cases—a structure that could accelerate the commercialization of industrial humanoid robots.

If the rollout proceeds as planned, the first systems will enter production environments in Germany before the end of 2026, with broader deployment continuing through the next decade.

Why this matters for industrial robotics

Humanoid robots have long been explored for factory automation, but large‑scale adoption has been limited by cost, reliability, and manufacturing capacity. Partnerships with established industrial companies can help bridge those gaps.

Humanoid’s strategy reflects a broader industry trend: robotics startups focusing on logistics and manufacturing tasks first, where repetitive physical work and labor shortages make automation particularly valuable. With production support from Bosch and deployments through Schaeffler, the HMND 01 platform could become one of the early examples of humanoid robots operating at scale in real industrial settings.