Humanoid Robot Factory Opens in California
The NEO humanoid robot will be assembled at a vertically integrated factory in Hayward, CA. Photo courtesy 1X Technologies
HAYWARD, CA—A vertically integrated humanoid robot factory has opened here. A start-up company called 1X Technologies plans to mass-produce its NEO machine at the state-of-the-art 50,000-square-foot facility.
The general-purpose home robot is designed to work alongside humans in everyday environments and perform a variety of domestic chores. The company initially plans to build 10,000 NEOs per year at its new facility, with plans to reach 100,000 by the end of 2027.
“This is more than just a factory opening,” says Bernt Børnich, CEO of 1X. “It’s proof that the future of humanoid robotics is being built right here in the U.S.
“We’re not dreaming about abundance; we’re manufacturing it,” claims Børnich. “More production means more robots, and more robots mean the fastest path to physical AI. Production is happening now, and American consumers will be among the first in the world to welcome NEO into their homes.”
“We’re building the world’s safest, most reliable humanoid robots right here in Hayward,” adds Vikram Kothari, vice president of manufacturing and hardware at 1X. “We’re creating [more than 200] high-skill American jobs with a vertically integrated stack, from components to final assembly. This is bottoms-up American manufacturing and innovation at its best: total control, extreme reliability, rapid iteration and zero compromise on quality.”
According to Kothari, 1X designs and manufactures key components in-house, including actuators, batteries, sensors and transmissions. “From cutting metal parts to fully automated motor manufacturing lines that spin copper coils, [we] maintain end-to-end control,” he points out. “This approach sets [us] apart from competitors that rely on Chinese suppliers for critical subsystems. It enables faster iteration, higher safety standards and efficient scaling.”
"The assembly process includes rigorous checks of critical quality parameters to ensure no safety aspect is overlooked," explains Børnich. "Precision in the use of testing and assembly tools is emphasized to maintain high standards of accuracy. All components, especially motors, undergo extensive testing at multiple stages of assembly to validate their performance and reliability.
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"We’re adopting quality control measures inspired by the automotive industry," Børnich points out. "We conduct thorough Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) on each assembly component to proactively identify and mitigate potential safety risks."
1X Technologies is based in Palo Alto, CA, and has an additional factory in Moss, Norway.
Hayward is a Bay Area community that is quickly becoming an epicenter for manufacturing next-generation products. For example, Amazon subsidiary Zoox Inc. recently opened a 220,000-square-foot assembly plant there to produce robotaxis.
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