Schaeffler vs Tuopu Group: Actuation compared

November 2026 edition · assessment by Frontier Tech Intelligence

Schaeffler ranks 10 on the Humanoids 100 with a score of 85; Tuopu Group ranks 27 with 74. Schaeffler is ahead on deployment, progress and technology. Tuopu Group is ahead on commercials. Level on production, positioning, firepower and leverage. Schaeffler is based in Herzogenaurach, Germany, Tuopu Group in Ningbo, China. Schaeffler: Public, founded 1946. Tuopu Group: public. Schaeffler is named in 161 signals and Tuopu Group in 1.

Schaeffler →

Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany · Humanoids · Components / Actuation · Public · founded 1946 · www.schaeffler.com

Schaeffler supplies actuator systems and motion-technology components for humanoid robots, including formed strain-wave gearboxes intended for humanoid joints.

Humanoids 100 · rank 10 · score 85Robotics · watchlist · score 65Space · watchlist · score 61

Scores, Humanoids (of 10)

Deployment9
Production8
Commercials5
Progress10
Technology8
Positioning8
Firepower10
Leverage8

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

Positioning

Schaeffler is a German motion-technology group (>EUR 22B) taking the most hedged position in the humanoid vertical, playing four roles at once: supplier to ~45 humanoid OEM programs (with first meaningful contracts secured, including a five-year Tier-1 actuator deal with Humanoid UK), buyer committed to two four-digit fleets (>=1,000 Hexagon AEON by 2032 and a four-digit Humanoid Alpha rollout, first units in German plants by end-2026), investor (a Neura Series C participant), and an Agility Digit customer. Mass production of humanoid components launches before end-2026, its component set spanning bearings, roller screws, reducers, motors, sensors, and actuators. Robotics is <1% of 2025 sales, yet the Schaeffler Effect has re-rated its stock as a humanoid proxy, with the CEO targeting an order book in the hundreds of millions of euros by 2030.

Latest signals

  • ROKAE delivered its 10,000th humanoid force-controlled arm.RoboticsTomorrow
  • ROKAE robots have been deployed at Schaeffler’s flagship factory in China.PR Newswire, all releases
  • Five ROKAE Helios wheeled humanoids operate on Schaeffler’s Taicang component line.Humanoids Daily

161 signals name Schaeffler.

Facts, with sources

  • Binding phased agreement to integrate robots into live manufacturing operations, with first systems going live in Germany by end-2026The Robot Report
  • Schaeffler and Hexagon Robotics expect AEON factory deployments to begin within six months of traininghumanoid.guide
  • Hexagon Robotics' AEON humanoid entered Schaeffler's Humanoid Gym for factory-task traininghumanoid.guide

125 facts on file.

Tuopu Group →

Ningbo, Zhejiang, China · Humanoids · Components / Actuation · public · tuopu.com

Tuopu sells robot actuators to humanoid robot manufacturers, with dedicated production capacity for robot-equivalent units.

Humanoids 100 · rank 27 · score 74Robotics · prospect · score 34

Scores, Humanoids (of 10)

Deployment4
Production8
Commercials10
Progress8
Technology6
Positioning8
Firepower10
Leverage8

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

Positioning

Tuopu Group is a Chinese top-3 global auto lightweight-chassis maker (SSE:601689) whose robotic-actuator unit (spun off with independent management in 2023) makes integrated rotary and linear actuators, described by supply-chain trackers as the exclusive Optimus rotary-actuator supplier (company confirmation absent, scored with the same skepticism as Sanhua). It is a Daiwa top-3 humanoid supply-chain pick (June 2026, with Minth and Sanhua) and part of the pattern of Chinese auto tier-1s systematically repositioning into robotics via subsidiaries. Revenue is >500m.

Latest signals

  • Goldman Sachs found nine Chinese humanoid-robot supply-chain companies planning 100,000 to 1 million annual robot-equivalent units.Humanoids Daily

1 signals name Tuopu Group.

Facts, with sources

  • 26123money.finance.sina.com.cn
  • Robot actuator revenuestatic.cninfo.com.cn
  • CNY 29581458675.27static.cninfo.com.cn

17 facts on file.

More comparisons

Questions this page answers

Schaeffler or Tuopu Group: which is ahead in humanoids?

Schaeffler ranks 10 on the Humanoids 100 with a score of 85; Tuopu Group ranks 27 with 74. Schaeffler is ahead on deployment, progress and technology. Tuopu Group is ahead on commercials. Level on production, positioning, firepower and leverage. Schaeffler is based in Herzogenaurach, Germany, Tuopu Group in Ningbo, China. Schaeffler: Public, founded 1946. Tuopu Group: public. Schaeffler is named in 161 signals and Tuopu Group in 1.

How do Schaeffler and Tuopu Group compare?

Schaeffler ranks 10 on the Humanoids 100 with a score of 85; Tuopu Group ranks 27 with 74. Schaeffler is ahead on deployment, progress and technology. Tuopu Group is ahead on commercials. Level on production, positioning, firepower and leverage. Schaeffler is based in Herzogenaurach, Germany, Tuopu Group in Ningbo, China. Schaeffler: Public, founded 1946. Tuopu Group: public. Schaeffler is named in 161 signals and Tuopu Group in 1. 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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