Humanoid’s 1,000+ Robot Deal with Schaeffler Hints At 100,000 Units By 2031

InnovationConsumer TechHumanoid’s 1,000+ Robot Deal with Schaeffler Hints At 100,000 Units By 2031ByJohn Koetsier,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Journalist, analyst, author, podcaster.Follow AuthorMay 13, 2026, 11:57pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Over 1,000 humanoid robots by Humanoid, a UK company, will now be working for Schaeffler, the German automotive and industrial supplier.HumanoidTwo-year-old British startup Humanoid has signed a deal to integrate “a four-digit number of humanoid robots into live manufacturing operations” at German industrial giant Schaeffler’s factories starting later this year. The bigger news, however, might be that Humanoid has committed to buying a “seven-digit number of actuators” from Schaeffler over the term of the agreement, suggesting that Humanoid intends to ship a staggering 100,000 humanoid robots across all of its clients over the next five years.Four months ago, Schaeffler and a two-year-old British startup called Humanoid announced they’d put "several hundred" humanoid robots into the German industrial giant’s factories over the next five to six years. Something must be working in that deal, because on Wednesday, the two companies upgraded the number significantly and signed an agreement to integrate at least 1,000 – and potentially many more – humanoid robots into Schaeffler’s manufacturing operations.That somewhat vague but certainly big number of working machines makes this one of the largest disclosed humanoid robot rollouts to date, and arguably the most aggressive escalation we’ve seen so far between a humanoid OEM and an industrial customer.The caveat on the bigger numbers?According to the terms of the agreement, the companies have until 2032 to put the full 4-digit complement of humanoid robot workers in their jobs. That means that while there’s clearly some...