RoboStore, the primary North American distributor for China’s popular Unitree Robotics, has announced a major strategic pivot. The company now plans to manufacture its own robots at a 66,000-square-foot facility on Long Island, New York, as the US government intensifies its crackdown on foreign-made robotics.
From Distribution to Domestic Manufacturing
This shift follows a July decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ban imports of new foreign-made robot models, citing national security and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. RoboStore, which has sold over 1,500 robots to clients including Amazon, Nvidia, OpenAI, and elite universities like Harvard and MIT, has shut down its distribution business to focus on a new entity, Robo Inc.
Teddy Haggerty, founder and CEO of RoboStore, noted that the team began considering domestic manufacturing a year ago after gaining insights into customer needs for specific applications. “I will tell anyone that [a purpose-built] product is better suited for most businesses... than a humanoid robot,” Haggerty told Ars Technica.
Specialized Products and Future Outlook
Under the Robo Inc. banner, the team is developing products including a humanoid torso on a wheeled chassis designed for healthcare services. This robot will feature sensors to monitor patient vitals like temperature and blood oxygen levels. Other initial products include a specialized quadruped for security and a humanoid platform for researchers seeking US-compliant hardware.
The company, which has been bootstrapped until now, is currently pursuing its first major funding round. The manufacturing facility is expected to be fully operational by the first fiscal quarter of 2027. Engineers are already utilizing 3D printing to build prototypes currently undergoing testing by select customers.
