Zhejiang Xiantong Builds New Growth Curve with Mass Production of Intelligent Inspection Robots

TAIZHOU, 8 July — Zhejiang Xiantong, a leading domestic automotive sealing strip manufacturer, has achieved rapid breakthroughs in the intelligent robot manufacturing sector, establishing a robust second growth curve beyond its core automotive business. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Taizhou Haohai Xiantong Robotics has completed high-volume production of explosion-proof inspection robots, marking the firm’s full entry into the intelligent equipment manufacturing market within less than one year.

Intensive manufacturing operations are underway at the company’s robot assembly workshop in Taizhou. Young technical teams conduct precise wiring calibration for hundreds of multi-coloured internal wiring harnesses inside robot cavities, with every connection rigorously inspected to guarantee complete operational stability. Dozens of fully assembled explosion-proof inspection robots undergo final commissioning procedures ahead of official delivery.

The company launched a targeted production campaign in late May, successfully assembling and delivering 100 explosion-proof robots on 11 June. The batch production is set to generate operating revenue exceeding 18 million yuan. This delivery represents the first phase output under a large-scale procurement agreement signed in March 2026 with Qiteng Robotics, which covers a total of 1,000 explosion-proof inspection robots.

The year 2025 is widely recognised within the industrial sector as the inaugural year for large-scale robot mass production, with embodied intelligence incorporated into national industrial development policies to drive industrial upgrading. Zhejiang Xiantong expanded into the robotics sector to address a prevalent industrial pain point. Many emerging robotics enterprises focus heavily on technological research and development yet lack mature systematic manufacturing capabilities for mass production and stable delivery.

The company’s decades-long accumulation in precision automotive component manufacturing delivers unique competitive advantages for robot production. Endorsed by the IATF 16949 quality management system for more than a decade, it has formed standardised mechanisms for incoming material inspection, whole-process quality control and full lifecycle traceability for non-standard components. Such systematic manufacturing expertise enables precise assembly and stable batch production of robots, which require complex component matching and ultra-high assembly accuracy.

Zhejiang Xiantong initiated its robotics layout in September 2025 through strategic investment and industrial cooperation. The joint venture Haohai Xiantong Robotics was founded in Xianju, with Zhejiang Xiantong holding a 51 per cent controlling stake, specially constructed for intelligent robot whole-machine manufacturing. In March 2026, the firm secured a bulk order for explosion-proof inspection robots, laying a solid foundation for scaled production.

A dual technical support mechanism has been established to guarantee production quality and efficiency. The company dispatched 28 core production technicians to receive comprehensive robotic process training at Qiteng Robotics in January 2026. Meanwhile, a professional technical team of over 40 specialists from Qiteng Robotics has been stationed on-site long-term to provide full-process guidance for assembly, commissioning and testing operations, supporting the efficient completion of concentrated batch production tasks.

The delivered explosion-proof inspection robots serve as core safety-oriented intelligent equipment developed by Qiteng Robotics. Capable of fully automated unmanned inspection, the devices can replace manual operations in high-risk industrial scenarios. The intelligent equipment effectively reduces on-site safety hazards and labour input, while improving inspection accuracy and operational efficiency, solving practical challenges including labour shortages and safety management pressures in high-risk industrial sectors.

The subsidiary is accelerating the expansion of production capacity following the successful delivery of the first batch of products. Two dedicated production lines are currently in operation, with monthly mass production capacity gradually rising to 300 to 400 units. Annual shipment targets are set between 2,500 and 3,000 whole robots to meet sustained market order demand.

Zhejiang Xiantong maintained steady growth in its core automotive business in 2025, recording annual operating revenue of 1.522 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 24.31 per cent, and net profit attributable to parent shareholders of 222 million yuan, up 29.22 per cent year on year. The company has accumulated dividend payouts of over 940 million yuan since its listing, with an average annual dividend ratio of 70 per cent. The maturing core business has provided stable capital and resource support for the strategic expansion into emerging robotic manufacturing.

Systematic manufacturing capabilities form the core barriers for the company’s robotics business expansion. More than 90 per cent of production moulds are independently researched and developed in-house, significantly cutting manufacturing cycles and operational costs. Independent mould development capacity enables rapid technical troubleshooting and ensures continuous and stable production progress, creating distinct advantages over peers relying on outsourced mould processing.

Tailored talent cultivation systems and nationwide service networks further strengthen differentiated competitiveness. Long-term cooperative programmes with local technical colleges launch three to four robotics training classes annually, cultivating around 120 professional technical workers to sustain stable manpower supply for production lines. A network of 110 after-sales service outlets across major Chinese cities can provide low-cost and efficient after-sales maintenance for robotic equipment, forming a service barrier unavailable for most pure manufacturing enterprises.

The company’s robotic product portfolio continues to diversify through expanded industrial cooperation. On 30 January 2026, Haohai Xiantong Robotics signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Shanghai Haohai Xingkong Robotics. The two parties will collaborate on the manufacturing of embodied intelligent retail cabins and dual-arm collaborative robots, with a total intended manufacturing contract value reaching 120 million yuan.

The intelligent retail cabin, a flagship embodied intelligent commercial terminal developed by Haohai Xingkong, integrates intelligent commercial spaces, mobile O2O retail stores and intelligent IP exhibition functions. Equipped with self-developed VLA large models and humanoid robot systems, it supports full-scene voice interaction and end-to-end task execution to realise 24-hour unmanned operation. Pilot deployment on Nanjing East Road in Shanghai during the 2026 Spring Festival recorded nearly 61,200 consumer visits, 2,368 fulfilled orders and 3,082 product sales transactions, verifying strong commercial application potential.

Zhejiang Xiantong will leverage industrial fund resources in Taizhou to expand its robotics industrial layout through targeted industrial mergers and partnerships with leading domestic robotics enterprises. The company will further optimise its business structure, fostering the robotic manufacturing sector into a core business alongside its traditional automotive component manufacturing, and forming a dual-drive development pattern of traditional upgrading and emerging industry expansion.