German materials giant Covestro has moved to tighten its grip on the fast-emerging robotics and smart logistics market, signing strategic MoUs with China’s Hikrobot and Carthane during CHINAPLAS 2026.
The deals mark a clear push by Covestro to position itself deeper inside the robotics value chain—moving beyond traditional materials supply into co-development, system integration, and industrial-scale deployment support.
“Covestro is evolving from a material supplier to a strategic enabler across the robotics value chain,” said Lily Wang, President of Engineering Plastics at Covestro.
“At a critical stage of industrial-scale deployment, we are deepening collaboration with industry pioneers to advance next-generation materials, accelerate scalable production, and embed sustainability from the start — supporting the robotics industry on a greener path.”
Under the agreement with Hikrobot—an industrial IoT and robotics provider specializing in machine vision and mobile automation—the two companies will jointly develop solutions for smart logistics and intelligent manufacturing, including parcel sorting, e-commerce operations, and factory automation.
“We are delighted to enter this strategic partnership with Covestro in high-performance materials and intelligent logistics. Covestro’s comprehensive material technology support will help Hikrobot enhance its product innovation capabilities and market competitiveness.
"We look forward to achieving more breakthroughs together at both the technology and product levels,” said Xie Mingqiang, Vice President and Head of Supply Chain at Hikrobot.
As logistics systems become increasingly automated, both companies are targeting core pain points: precision, durability, and operational lifespan of robotics systems.
Covestro is bringing its advanced polymers into play. Its Bayblend polycarbonate is being positioned for lightweight, impact-resistant housings and structural parts, while Makrolon polycarbonate is aimed at improving sensing accuracy through high infrared transmittance.
In a second agreement, Covestro is extending its long-standing automotive materials partnership with Carthane into robotics applications, with a particular focus on robot feet and load-bearing components.
“Covestro is a long-trusted strategic partner of ours. Our successful collaboration in the automotive sector provides a solid foundation for this expansion into robotics.
"Covestro’s strengths in material innovation complement Carthane’s capabilities in value chain management and systems integration, and together we will drive the commercial adoption of advanced materials in the robotics sector,” said Hou Zhenkun, Director and General Manager of Carthane.
Robot feet and joints are among the most mechanically stressed components in automation systems, requiring high resistance to impact, fatigue, and wear. Covestro is promoting its Vulkollan elastomer for these applications, citing its durability and load-bearing performance as key enablers for longer-lasting robotic systems.
Across both partnerships, Covestro is signalling a broader strategy: embedding itself earlier in the design cycle of robotics systems and aligning materials innovation with industrial deployment at scale.
