China blocks SoftBank's ABB Robotics deal; North American robot orders up 24.8%
China has blocked SoftBank's $5.4 billion ABB Robotics purchase, while North American robot orders rose 24.8% in the third quarter.
Robotics
North American robot orders rise 24.8% in the third quarter
Companies ordered 10,989 robots valued at $723.5 million, according to the Association for Advancing Automation. Orders from automotive component suppliers rose 90.4%, and cobot orders reached 1,831 units, about 56% more than in Q3 2025.
Pilatus tests a Hexagon humanoid for quality checks on PC-24 jets
Pilatus Aircraft is testing Hexagon Robotics' AEON humanoid at its Stans plant to check the airframe of the PC-24 business jet. Vice president of manufacturing Roman Emmenegger says the aim is not to replace people but to support quality inspections.
Deals & funding
China blocks SoftBank's $5.4 billion acquisition of ABB Robotics
China's Office of the Working Mechanism for Foreign Investment Security Review announced that it has blocked the deal, the Financial Times reported. ABB announced the sale in October 2025 and expected it to close in mid-to-late 2026. As of early November 2026 the acquisition has not been finalized.
From the tracker
- Cobots: 16 named cobot deployments tracked, 15 in production and 1 pilot; most in metals (4).
- Humanoids: 9 named humanoid robot deployments tracked, 1 in production and 3 pilots; most in automotive (5).
- AI inspection: 23 named visual inspection deployments tracked, 18 in production and 4 pilots; most in electronics (4).
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