Chinese robot makers expand to 141 markets as after-sales service becomes the next battleground

Exports rise as overseas requirements change

Chinese robot manufacturers are moving beyond equipment exports and investing in overseas service networks, system integration and local product adaptation. The shift reflects growing pressure from customers that want deployable production solutions rather than individual machines, according to 36Kr Europe.

China exported 7.34 billion yuan of industrial robots in the first seven months of 2026, an increase of 13.2% from a year earlier. The equipment reached 141 countries and regions. In the first quarter, exports of humanoid robots rose 210% year on year and were distributed across 148 countries and regions, with Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East among the main markets.

Deliveries of Chinese humanoid robots exceeded 40,000 units in the first half of 2026, while their reported global share increased to 97%. Industrial robot production rose 28.5% over the same period. Since China introduced a separate customs tariff code for intelligent bionic robots in January, their export value has increased more than fivefold within six months.

Customers seek complete operating systems

At the 2026 World Robot Conference, Jack Perry, chairman of the British organization The 48 Group, proposed a test-before-purchase model for European companies. Prospective buyers would deploy robots in real operating environments before deciding whether to order additional units. Perry identified logistics and warehousing as mature applications with urgent demand, while hospitality, catering and retail offer potential because of high labor costs. He described agriculture as the market with the greatest transformative potential.

Sales volumes in Europe nevertheless remain limited, according to Perry. The gap between potential demand and actual orders places greater importance on commissioning, employee training, software development and technical support. Large and complex robots also require system integrators capable of adapting equipment to local factories and working practices.

The same challenge is visible in Southeast Asia. Chen Zhihui, chairman of the ASEAN Federation of Intelligent Industry, said Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand have strong demand for industrial robots. Humanoid robots remain rare in the region, however, and their application market is still at an early stage. Local service capability will therefore influence whether initial purchases develop into repeat orders.

Manufacturers build local partnerships

No individual manufacturer can easily establish a comprehensive overseas service network alone. Chinese companies are consequently working with foreign software groups, research institutions, distributors and local integrators. The objective is to combine equipment sales with deployment, commissioning, training, further development and continuing support.

Leju Intelligent formalized cooperation with STELLARIS ROBOTICS and DF PREXEL ROBOTICS on August 20 during the 2026 World Robot Conference exhibition. The agreements created strategic cooperation centers in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Leju said the centers would support education, research, commercial deployment and industrial applications, while supplying partners with robots from its Aelos, Roban and Kuavo series.

During the conference, Leju signed more than 10,000 overseas distribution orders and established regional sales systems in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. It also reached a strategic cooperation agreement with German industrial group Schaeffler. For manufacturers, such partnerships offer a route to recurring service revenue; for overseas buyers, they can reduce implementation risk and improve access to maintenance, upgrades and application-specific engineering.