- Guozi Robotics secures multi-form humanoid contract amid rapid AMR expansion
- Backed by Hangcha Group, company tests shift from logistics automation to embodied AI
Hangzhou-based robotics company Guozi Robotics (国自机器人) has secured a new humanoid robotics order from an undisclosed buyer, marking a strategic step beyond warehouse automation as it seeks to expand into embodied AI systems spanning industrial and field operations.
According to Zhejiang media reports, the mid-May contract covers multiple robot formats, including biped humanoids, wheeled-arm humanoids and quadruped robots, although financial details and full procurement scope have not been disclosed.
The deal comes after a strong run in for the manufacturer of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).
Between January and May 2026, publicly disclosed winning bids exceeded 40 million yuan ($5.89 million), including a major March transaction in which Guozi won a 29.77 million yuan order from Dongfeng Motor Group’s logistics division, beating rivals including Hikrobot (海康机器人) and iRayple Technology (华睿科技).
Hikrobot and iRayple are spinoffs of surveillance technology giants Hikvision (海康威视) and Dahua Technology (大华股份), respectively.
The latest order signals a clearer pivot: after consolidating its position in AMRs, Guozi is accelerating its push into humanoid robotics, a field still in early commercial development.
A 6.8 billion-yuan procurement plan
The expansion is partly linked to expected demand from State Grid Corporation of China, which has outlined plans for 8,500 embodied robots worth roughly 6.8 billion yuan in 2026 for use in inspection, maintenance, logistics and operational tasks.
Founded in 2011 as a spin-off from Zhejiang University-affiliated Zhongkong Research Institute’s robotics division, Guozi focuses on core technologies including navigation algorithms, multi-sensor fusion and multi-agent scheduling for mobile robots.
In 2025, forklift giant Hangcha Group acquired a 99.23% stake in the company, integrating it into its industrial automation strategy.
That same year, Guozi deployed logistics robots at scale across automotive factories operated by Dongfeng and JAC Motors, before its parent Hangcha launched its first X1-series wheeled logistics humanoid in October, marking its formal entry into humanoid robotics.
The new State Grid contract represents early commercial validation for that product line, which includes three robot configurations tailored to different use cases: bipedal humanoids for multi-floor inspection and complex terrain tasks, wheeled-arm humanoids for warehouse and loading operations, and quadruped robots for outdoor and uneven environments.
However, the company still faces significant hurdles in scaling humanoid robotics. Industry challenges include energy efficiency in bipedal locomotion, real-time balance control and precision force handling for manipulation tasks.
Cutthroat competition
Competition is also intensifying. Hikvision has built a dominant position in mobile robots with more than 6.4 billion yuan in revenue in 2025, while humanoid-focused players such as Unitree (宇树科技), Agibot (智元机器人) and UBTECH (优必选) have already accumulated experience in motion control and AI interaction systems.
Despite its logistics footprint, Guozi still needs to demonstrate it can evolve from a hardware integrator into a full embodied AI systems provider, with scalable AI models and end-to-end autonomy rather than modular automation systems.
Market analysts point out that the State Grid program itself could be decisive. While the 6.8 billion yuan procurement plan offers a large market, it is also likely to attract multiple competitors.
Future growth will depend on whether early orders can translate into longer-term framework agreements and expansion into manufacturing and logistics beyond the power sector, analysts say.
