SKF forms JV in China to target robotic components market
7 July 2026 
SKF has formed joint venture with Leaderdrive, a Chinese manufacturer of robot parts, to produce precision transmission components for robot joints. SKF will hold a 60% majority stake in the venture which, it says, marks an important step into the robotics sector. The venture will focus, in particular, on making parts for industrial humanoid robots powered by embodied AI technology
SKF will bring its expertise in bearing technology, scalable manufacturing and global supply chains to the venture, while Leaderboard will contribute its application know-how of automation products and humanoid robots. Together, the companies are aiming to accelerate time-to-market and to support volume production in the fast-growing embodied AI humanoid market. They plan to deliver the reliability needed for continuous operation of humanoids in industrial applications
The venture, headquartered in China, will be positioned close to key supply chains and customers. As well as serving China – the world’s largest and fastest-growing humanoid robotics market – the venture will use SKF’s global sales network to target other markets, including Europe, Japan and the US. The business is expected to start operating by the end of this year.
“This venture is well aligned with our strategy to drive profitable growth and strengthen our position in selected high-growth industrial segments,” says Henry Wang, SKF’s industrial president for China and North-East Asia. “Targeting the industrial humanoid segment, this partnership provides the agility needed to respond to rapid market iterations, while leveraging our core technologies to support industry advancement.”
“As the embodied AI humanoids industry continues to scale, the stable delivery of reliable core transmission components becomes a critical differentiator,” adds Leaderdrive’s chairman and executive director, Yuyu Zuo. “Building on our shared foundation in industrial applications, we can help drive technological development in these humanoids and create sustainable value in this expanding market.”
Leaderdrive has production and r&d facilities in China, Germany, Singapore and Japan. Every year, it produces more than 500,000 strainwave reducers.
