Chinese automation specialist Inovance Technology is “actively developing key components for humanoid robots”, with plans to launch some products within the year, according to German investment advice website Gronewy.
This strategic move by Inovance into the advanced robotics field signals the company’s ambition to be a supplier for the next generation of automation.
While humanoids represent a future frontier, Inovance’s immediate foundation is its growing strength in industrial control systems.
The company, already a dominant force in servos and drives, is using this expertise to challenge established players in the core “brain” of the factory: the programmable logic controller (PLC).
Since its launch in 2023, the MX100 Pro series PLC has been central to this strategy, targeting high-performance applications with deep cloud integration.
This two-pronged approach highlights a broader goal: to create a full-stack, domestically controlled automation ecosystem. The same underlying technology required for precise motion control in industrial PLCs is directly applicable to the sophisticated joints of humanoid robots.
Inovance’s push comes as it competes in a global PLC market valued at approximately $15 billion and projected to grow steadily.
This market has long been dominated by a handful of giants, primarily Germany’s Siemens and the US’ Rockwell Automation, which together hold a significant portion of the high-end segment.
The competitive landscape is shifting, however. Driven by factors like supply chain security and cost advantages, Chinese manufacturers are increasingly adopting domestic solutions.
Inovance’s strategy of leveraging its established market presence in components to cross-sell its PLCs poses a growing long-term challenge to the status quo, aiming to convert its domestic dominance into global influence.
