ABB Robotics Company Profile: History, Structure, Financials, Products, Leadership and Stock
Updated: 6 days ago
ABB Robotics is one of the world's largest industrial robot makers, with about 7,000 employees, revenue of USD 2.3 billion in 2024 and more than 500,000 robot solutions shipped. After five decades inside the ABB group it is being sold to Japan's SoftBank Group for an enterprise value of USD 5.375 billion. This profile sets out its history, the SoftBank transaction, financial position, factories, technology, product range, management and the share data of its parent.
ABB Robotics at a Glance
Fact | Detail |
Business | Robotics division of ABB Ltd |
Robot origins | 1974, in Vasteras, Sweden |
Employees | About 7,000 |
Revenue | USD 2.3 billion in 2024, about 7% of ABB Group |
Operational EBITA margin | 12.1% in 2024 |
Installed base | More than 500,000 robot solutions shipped |
Robot factories | Vasteras, Sweden; Shanghai, China; Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA |
Ownership | ABB Ltd; sale to SoftBank Group agreed on October 8, 2025 |
Deal status | Cleared by the European Commission in March 2026; closing expected in the second half of 2026 |
Stock listing | None of its own. Parent ABB: SIX Swiss Exchange ABBN |
Division president | Marc Segura |
Company History
ABB's robotics business began in Vasteras, Sweden, in 1974, when the company developed what it describes as the world's first commercial all-electric robot. The Swedish operations have grown on the same site ever since, spreading over nine separate buildings. ABB itself was formed in 1988 by the merger of Sweden's ASEA and Switzerland's BBC Brown Boveri.
For most of the past decade the division sat in ABB's Robotics and Discrete Automation business area. In April 2025 ABB announced its intention to spin Robotics off as a separately listed company. Six months later it chose a sale instead.
Key milestones
1974: Robot production begins in Vasteras.
2015: ABB starts manufacturing robots in Auburn Hills, Michigan, its third robot production site.
2022: A new, fully automated robot factory of 67,000 square meters opens in Kangqiao, Shanghai, an investment of USD 150 million.
September 2023: ABB announces a USD 280 million investment in a new robotics campus in Vasteras.
December 2023: Volvo Cars orders more than 1,300 robots and functional packages.
June 2024: Launch of the next-generation OmniCore control platform.
April 2025: Plan announced to spin off Robotics as a listed company.
October 8, 2025: Agreement signed to sell the division to SoftBank Group.
March 12, 2026: The European Commission approves the acquisition.
The SoftBank Transaction
ABB agreed to divest the Robotics division to SoftBank Group Corp. for an enterprise value of USD 5.375 billion. The business is being carved out into a holding company, ABB Robotics Holdco 1 Ltd, of which SoftBank will acquire 100%.
Proceeds: ABB initially expected net cash proceeds of about USD 5.3 billion and a pre-tax book gain of about USD 2.4 billion. Its second-quarter 2026 report puts expected net cash proceeds at about USD 4.8 billion.
Costs: separation costs of about USD 200 million and cash taxes of USD 400 to 500 million related to the carve-out.
Reporting: since the fourth quarter of 2025 Robotics has been reported as discontinued operations. The Machine Automation division, previously in the same business area, moved to Process Automation, and ABB now reports three business areas.
Approvals: the transaction requires clearance in the European Union, China and the United States. The European Commission approved it on March 12, 2026, under its simplified procedure, finding no competition concerns.
Timing: ABB's report of July 16, 2026 states that closing is expected in the second half of 2026.
SoftBank chairman and chief executive Masayoshi Son has described the group's next frontier as physical AI. SoftBank's other robotics holdings include SoftBank Robotics and investments in Berkshire Grey, AutoStore, Agile Robots and Skild AI. ABB chairman Peter Voser said the offer was compared with the planned spin-off and reflects the long-term strengths of the division.
Financial Position
The division had revenue of USD 2.3 billion in 2024, about 7% of ABB Group, with an Operational EBITA margin of 12.1%. Trade press coverage of the sale noted that the division's sales and profitability had been under pressure from growing competition. In the second quarter of 2026 ABB reported income from discontinued operations of USD 20 million, compared with USD 131 million a year earlier.
Factories and Investment
ABB Robotics produces in three regions, each serving its own market:
Vasteras, Sweden: the original site, supplying Europe. About 95% of the robots ABB sells in Europe are made here, and about 1,300 robotics employees work in the area. The new 65,000 square meter campus, a USD 280 million investment, combines manufacturing, research, customer experience and training, raises production capacity by 50% and is planned to open in late 2026.
Kangqiao, Shanghai, China: a 67,000 square meter factory opened in 2022 for USD 150 million, supplying Asia.
Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA: robot manufacturing since 2015, supplying the Americas.
ABB has said it will have invested USD 450 million in these three robotics facilities since 2018.
Technology: OmniCore
In June 2024 ABB launched the next generation of its OmniCore control platform, the result of an investment of more than USD 170 million. ABB describes it as a single control architecture for its whole range of robot hardware and software, with more than 1,000 hardware and software features. The company's performance claims are path accuracy of less than 0.6 mm, multiple robots moving at up to 1,600 mm per second, operation up to 25% faster and energy use up to 20% lower than its previous controller. OmniCore replaces the IRC5 controller, which ABB planned to phase out in June 2026 while continuing to support existing customers with parts and service. ABB has also invested in the AI vision company LandingAI and acquired the Swiss navigation start-up Sevensense.
ABB Robotics' Product Range
Family | Type | Examples |
Large IRB robots | Six-axis industrial | IRB 5710, IRB 6700, IRB 7600, IRB 8700 |
Small and medium IRB robots | Six-axis industrial | IRB 1100, IRB 1300, IRB 2600, IRB 4600 |
SCARA robots | Four-axis | IRB 910SC, IRB 920T, IRB 930 |
Delta robots | Picking and packing | IRB 360 and IRB 365 FlexPicker, IRB 390 FlexPacker |
Palletizing robots | Four-axis heavy | IRB 460, IRB 660, IRB 760 |
Paint robots | Explosion-proof | IRB 5500, IRB 5510 |
GoFa | Collaborative robot | CRB 15000 in 5, 10 and 12 kg versions |
SWIFTI | Industrial collaborative robot | CRB 1300 |
YuMi | Collaborative robot | Dual-arm IRB 14000 and single-arm IRB 14050 |
OmniCore | Controller platform | Control for the whole range |
RobotStudio | Software | Simulation and offline programming |
ABB product reviews on All Things Cobots
Notable Projects
Volvo Cars: in December 2023 ABB announced an order for more than 1,300 robots and functional packages for Volvo's plants in Torslanda, Sweden, and Daqing, China. The packages cover spot welding, riveting, dispensing, flow drilling and ultrasonic weld inspection, and ABB cites energy savings of up to 20% from its new large robots and OmniCore controllers.
Shanghai factory: a fully automated and flexible plant that also serves as a showcase for ABB's own technology.
Vasteras campus: the largest single investment in the division's manufacturing base.
Leadership and Management
Name | Role |
Marc Segura | President, ABB Robotics division |
Sami Atiya | President, Robotics and Discrete Automation business area; leaving ABB by the end of 2026 |
Morten Wierod | Chief Executive Officer, ABB Ltd |
Peter Voser | Chairman, ABB Ltd |
Masayoshi Son | Chairman and CEO, SoftBank Group Corp. |
Stock Information
ABB Robotics has no shares of its own. Until the sale closes it belongs to ABB Ltd, and afterwards to SoftBank Group, which is listed in Tokyo under the code 9984.
Item | ABB Ltd |
Listing | SIX Swiss Exchange: ABBN |
Share price | About CHF 79.6 in early October 2026 |
52-week range | CHF 53.8 to CHF 89.1 |
Change since October 2025 | Up about one third |
Dividend per share | CHF 0.94 |
ABB Group reported orders of USD 12.0 billion, revenue of USD 9.5 billion and Operational EBITA of USD 1.9 billion for the second quarter of 2026. Because Robotics is now a discontinued operation, the ABB share price reflects the group's electrification and automation businesses.
Note: share prices are indicative figures as of early October 2026 and change daily. This section is general information, not investment advice.
Strengths and Challenges
Strengths
A broad range, from cobots and delta robots to heavy payload arms.
Factories in Europe, China and the United States.
A new control platform and a widely used simulation tool.
Major automotive references such as Volvo Cars.
A buyer that has made robotics and AI a strategic priority.
Challenges
Pressure on sales and profitability from growing competition.
Regulatory approvals still required before the sale can close.
The separation from ABB, with costs of about USD 200 million.
Outlook
The next step is the closing of the SoftBank transaction, expected in the second half of 2026, and the opening of the Vasteras campus planned for late 2026. After that, the question is how SoftBank combines ABB's factories, product range and installed base with its investments in AI.
Current Catalogue Coverage
Catalogue checked on 15 October 2026: 45 associated product records. The links below are representative entries, rather than a claim that every historical model is currently available.
ABB Robotics FAQ
Who owns ABB Robotics?
ABB Robotics is a division of ABB Ltd. In October 2025 ABB agreed to sell it to SoftBank Group for an enterprise value of USD 5.375 billion, with closing expected in the second half of 2026.
Is ABB Robotics publicly traded?
No. It has no listing of its own. ABB Ltd trades on the SIX Swiss Exchange as ABBN, and SoftBank Group trades in Tokyo under the code 9984.
How big is ABB Robotics?
About 7,000 employees and revenue of USD 2.3 billion in 2024, roughly 7% of ABB Group.
Where are ABB robots made?
In Vasteras, Sweden; Shanghai, China; and Auburn Hills, Michigan.
Has the SoftBank deal been approved?
The European Commission approved it on March 12, 2026. ABB's July 2026 report says closing is expected in the second half of 2026.
What is OmniCore?
ABB's robot control platform. The next generation was launched in June 2024 after an investment of more than USD 170 million and replaces the IRC5 controller.
Who leads ABB Robotics?
Marc Segura is president of the division.
Sources
ABB: divestment of Robotics division to SoftBank Group
SoftBank Group: acquisition of ABB's robotics business
ABB: Q2 2026 results
EU Commission clears acquisition of ABB Robotics by SoftBank
ABB: USD 280 million investment in European robotics hub
ABB: next-generation OmniCore platform
Association for Advancing Automation: ABB robots for Volvo Cars
ABB: robot manufacturing in the United States
