Chinese robotics star Unitree opens Hangzhou factory amid humanoid frenzy

Chinese humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics has opened a new factory in Hangzhou as it races to meet soaring demand amid China’s craze for the human-shaped machines.

The factory, launched earlier this year, spans over 10,000 square metres, and it is expected to support the company’s expansion over the next three to five years, according to the company.

“We won’t expand production blindly,” Unitree’s marketing director Huang Jiawei told the South China Morning Post in a recent interview. “Instead, we’ll enhance capacity by increasing working hours and efficiency.”

The move was supported by the municipal government, which helped the company locate a plant just a 15-minute drive from Unitree’s headquarters in China’s eastern Zhejiang province.

As one of China’s most successful robotics start-ups, Unitree’s supply chain management and production capacity are seen as key advantages that set it apart in an industry where many peers struggle to commercialise their products, even as competition heats up in the domestic market. The company’s Go2 robotic dog starts at US$1,600, while its G1 humanoid starts at US$16,000.

The company develops core components such as motors in-house, works closely with various suppliers and handles final assembly itself. Earlier this year, Unitree’s rising popularity spurred excitement in China’s stock market, boosting shares of suppliers associated with the company, dubbed “Unitree-concept stocks”.

  

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