Major Chinese industrial robot manufacturer Lens Technology is advancing plans to significantly expand its assembly capacity for humanoid robots in 2026, which will likely raise demand for rare earth permanent magnets.
The company expects its shipments of humanoid robots to exceed 3,000 units this year, along with 10,000 units of quad-legged robot dogs. Humanoid robots have emerged as a new major driver of demand for rare earth materials. A single humanoid robot typically requires 3.5–4kg of rare earth permanent magnets, according to industry estimates.
China's humanoid robot output will rise to 59mn units by 2050, according to industry estimates.
Lens aims to double the production scale of core components and overall assembly for humanoid robots in 2026. But specific capacity figures have not been disclosed.
By 2027, the company anticipates that its shipments of humanoid robots and quadruped robot dogs will rank among the top globally. It aims to be the world's largest manufacturing platform for embodied intelligent robots, given that the robotics industry is currently undergoing a period of multi-fold growth, it has said.
