Technology
Chinese robot distributor goes domestic: RoboStore opens US factory amid import restrictions
A major US distributor of Chinese-made robots is building its own manufacturing plant as the government tightens controls on foreign robotics imports.
Ars Technica
RoboStore, the primary North American distributor for Unitree Robotics' affordable humanoid and quadruped robots, is making a strategic shift—pivoting from importing Chinese machines to manufacturing its own robots at a planned 66,000-square-foot facility on Long Island, New York, with operations expected to launch in early 2027.
The move reflects both the company's decade-plus experience with robot deployment and the tightening regulatory environment around foreign robotics imports.
From distributor to manufacturer#
The company has successfully introduced thousands of robots to the North American market, with clientele ranging from universities including Harvard and MIT to major technology firms like Nvidia, Amazon, and OpenAI. In total, RoboStore has moved more than 1,500 units through partnerships with over 150 academic and commercial institutions, according to founder and CEO Teddy Haggerty.
Facing headwinds from US government restrictions on Chinese-origin robotics, RoboStore announced the establishment of a new operating subsidiary, Robo Inc., to manage the manufacturing and systems integration operations. The pivot had been in consideration for roughly a year before the public announcement on August 10.
Why make the change now#
Beyond regulatory pressure, Haggerty saw an opportunity rooted in the company's on-the-ground experience. Working closely with customers on real-world robot deployment revealed that many organizations actually need specialized, task-specific solutions rather than the one-size-fits-all humanoid robots often marketed as universal problem-solvers.
"Companies like Standard Bots and Universal Robots have a robotic arm for specific use cases," Haggerty explained, noting that such targeted equipment often serves customer needs more effectively than general-purpose humanoids. By manufacturing domestically and integrating industry-specific systems, RoboStore aims to build robots tailored to individual business applications rather than chasing the broader humanoid buzz.
