KUKA vs Yaskawa: Industrial arms & cobots compared

November 2026 edition · assessment by Frontier Tech Intelligence

Yaskawa ranks 11 on the Robotics 100 with a score of 91; KUKA ranks 13 with 91. The eight measures are level. KUKA is based in Augsburg, Germany, Yaskawa in Kitakyushu, Japan. KUKA: Established. Yaskawa: Established. KUKA is named in 30 signals and Yaskawa in 57.

KUKA →

Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany · Robotics · Systems / Industrial arms & cobots · Established · kuka.com

KUKA develops and supplies industrial robotic systems, including KR Quantec robots used in CNC tending cells and the iiQKA robotics ecosystem. Its core business is industrial automation and robotic production equipment.

Robotics 100 · rank 13 · score 91

Scores, Robotics (of 10)

Deployment10
Production10
Commercials10
Progress10
Technology8
Positioning8
Firepower10
Leverage8

Darker bar: ahead of the other company on that measure.

Positioning

KUKA is a German industrial-robot maker (Midea-owned, EUR 3.9B group revenue in 2025 including Swisslog) whose Shunde park in China is its largest robot production base (80,000+ cumulative), running a robots-build-robots line. Midea's robotics segment exceeded RMB 30bn (February 2025 statement), and its iisy cobot line extends the range. Segment splits below the group are not detailed.

Latest signals

  • Boa Concept will integrate KUKA autonomous mobile robots into its offeringL'Usine Nouvelle
  • KUKA launched AI-powered vision software for industrial robotics.RoboticsTomorrow
  • Swisslog and the KUKA group reported an Ohio automotive plant operating 285 robots.humanoid.guide

30 signals name KUKA.

Facts, with sources

  • Automation Management Platform (AMP) deployed at KUKA Toledo Production Operations in OhioThe Robot Report
  • 3400The Robot Report
  • AMP implementation to bring AI from pilots to real-world manufacturing at scale in the U.S. marketThe Robot Report

19 facts on file.

Yaskawa →

Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan · Robotics · Systems / Industrial arms & cobots · Established · yaskawa-global.com

Yaskawa develops and sells MOTOMAN industrial robots, collaborative robots, heavy-object transport robots, and autonomous robot systems for manufacturing and other industrial markets.

Robotics 100 · rank 11 · score 91AI Core · discarded · score 58

Scores, Robotics (of 10)

Deployment10
Production10
Commercials10
Progress10
Technology8
Positioning8
Firepower10
Leverage8

Darker bar: ahead of the other company on that measure.

Positioning

Yaskawa is a Japanese industrial-robot maker (Motoman) with capacity up to 24,000 robots a year and group revenue of Y542.1bn in FY2025 (robotics segment +6.4% in H1). It acquired Tokyo Robotics for humanoid actuators, completed Robotics Factory No.5 in Kitakyushu, and signed an AI-robotics MoU with SoftBank. Standalone robotics-segment revenue and current unit output are not broken out.

Latest signals

  • JEITA held a CEATEC 2026 symposium on Japan’s industrial competitiveness in physical AI.MONOist (ITmedia)
  • Yaskawa Electric launched the seven-axis MOTOMAN-PA3050HB painting robot.MONOist (ITmedia)
  • Yaskawa Electric published the customer magazine YASKAWA NEWS No.355.Automation News Japan

57 signals name Yaskawa.

Facts, with sources

  • MOTOMAN-HC12 collaborative robot with 12 kg payload capacity and 1410 mm reachYaskawa
  • MOTOMAN-HC35 collaborative robot with 35 kg payload capacity and 2030 mm reachYaskawa
  • Integrated Google DeepMind Gemini Robotics ER 1.6 with MOTOMAN NEXT for advanced decision-making and precise physical movementsYaskawa

25 facts on file.

More comparisons

Questions this page answers

KUKA or Yaskawa: which is ahead in robotics?

Yaskawa ranks 11 on the Robotics 100 with a score of 91; KUKA ranks 13 with 91. The eight measures are level. KUKA is based in Augsburg, Germany, Yaskawa in Kitakyushu, Japan. KUKA: Established. Yaskawa: Established. KUKA is named in 30 signals and Yaskawa in 57.

How do KUKA and Yaskawa compare?

Yaskawa ranks 11 on the Robotics 100 with a score of 91; KUKA ranks 13 with 91. The eight measures are level. KUKA is based in Augsburg, Germany, Yaskawa in Kitakyushu, Japan. KUKA: Established. Yaskawa: Established. KUKA is named in 30 signals and Yaskawa in 57. Both company files carry the scores on eight measures, the facts with sources and the latest signals.

Every comparison here comes from the same files members use every day.

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