ABB to accelerate innovation as it seeks edge in China's robotics sector

Spurred by China's rapid advances in artificial intelligence, Swiss technology company ABB Group will ramp up its innovation efforts in the robotics sector to outpace its rivals in the country's increasingly competitive market, said a senior executive.

Sami Atiya, president of ABB robotics and discrete automation business area and a member of ABB's executive committee, said China remains a highly promising market, accounting for over 50 percent of the global robotics industry. More importantly, it continues to expand.

While the automotive sector has long been a major user of industrial robots - with around 1,000 robots for every 10,000 workers - other industries remain under-automated. "In many sectors, the figure is still below 100 robots per 10,000 employees. There is clear room for growth," Atiya said.

Stressing the importance of developing more accessible robotic solutions, he said ABB sees significant opportunity in creating robots that are easier to operate. This is especially valuable for companies that currently lack the expertise to manage more complex systems.

With startups and emerging technologies accelerating the pace of innovation across the sector, Atiya noted that stronger ecosystems are taking shape, particularly in areas like gripping and vision systems.

"Many of these breakthroughs are coming out of university labs, and we're well positioned to benefit from them," he said.

The Zurich-headquartered ABB announced in April that it will spin off its robotics division in full. The intention is for the business to start trading as a separately listed company during the second quarter of 2026. The robotics unit generated $2.3 billion in revenue in 2024, representing around 7 percent of the group's total sales, with an adjusted profit margin of 12.1 percent.

Atiya explained that the decision to spin off the unit stems from its limited integration with ABB's other business lines. The separation will allow ABB's robotics unit to sharpen its focus on strategy, governance and the unique demands of the robotics industry, as a standalone structure would enable more effective capital allocation, increased investment in R&D and enhanced external collaboration.

"With support from our Chinese partner network and a robotics team of more than 2,000 employees in China, achieving double-digit growth is well within reach," he added.