On December 26, 2025, a lively scene unfolded at the Guangxi UBTECH ROBOTICS Liuzhou Robot Super Smart Factory. A newly assembled Walker S2 humanoid robot trotted steadily towards the stage, weaving through a grand formation of over 200 of its "companions" before flexibly waving its "hand" in greeting at the center of the platform. This highly futuristic moment marked the official rollout of Guangxi's 1,000th industrial humanoid robot. Achieving this milestone from the successful launch of the first unit in June 2025 took Liuzhou a mere six months. This accomplishment reflects not just a single company's production leap, but also serves as a vivid microcosm of a traditional industrial powerhouse forging a new path and competing in the artificial intelligence arena. As a full-size industrial humanoid robot designed for smart manufacturing, its rapid industrialization path is particularly noteworthy. At the rollout ceremony, Zhou Jian, founder of UBTECH ROBOTICS Corp., could hardly contain his excitement. He attributed this achievement to the deep integration of "Liuzhou's warmth" and "UBTECH's speed." This "warmth" is first evident in the vast application scenarios柳州 provided. As the industrial backbone of Guangxi, Liuzhou possesses a solid foundation in automotive and machinery manufacturing. Top-tier robotics companies chose to establish factories here precisely because they recognized fertile ground where robots can "apply their learning." Dongfeng Liuzhou Automobile Co., Ltd. took the lead in "hiring" UBTECH robots to "work" in its factory, handling tasks like material transportation and sorting, with the number of units deployed steadily increasing from an initial 8 to 20. "UBTECH's robots aim not only for 'Made in Liuzhou, Used in Liuzhou,' but also to advance towards 'Made in Guangxi, Used Globally'," stated Zhou Jian. His vision aligns perfectly with the development strategies of Guangxi and Liuzhou. On the day of the event, the regional government signed a strategic cooperation agreement with UBTECH, with both parties committed to building a highland for robotics manufacturing and industrial upgrading. The planned super smart factory aims to create a modern production base with an annual capacity exceeding 10,000 units and actively explore the innovative model of "using robots to build robots." The rollout of the 1,000th industrial humanoid robot represents a significant achievement in Liuzhou's systematic implementation of its "AI + Manufacturing" initiative. For this traditional industrial city, renowned for its "old trio" of automobiles, steel, and machinery, developing artificial intelligence is not merely a technological upgrade but a strategic choice to cultivate new quality productive forces and break free from path dependency. In Liuzhou's factories, this "intelligent transformation" is ubiquitous. At the SAIC-GM-Wuling Baojun base's island-style lean smart factory in Liudong New District, digital twin technology enables mixed-line production of 24 vehicle models, with AI application scenarios exceeding 75%. Since commencing operations in October 2023, the factory's production efficiency has significantly increased, capable of producing 600 new energy vehicles daily. "Currently, the factory's automation rate has increased to 50%, mainline workstations have decreased by 40%, part caching has dropped by 30%, and we have achieved 100% product lifecycle data traceability," introduced a representative from SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co., Ltd. The factory utilizes technologies like digitalization, automation, 5G communication, industrial internet, and AI, leading a new revolution in automotive manufacturing methods and becoming the sole automotive manufacturer among the nation's first batch of leading-level smart factories. In Liuzhou, there are many such enterprises. At Liuzhou Steel Group, over a hundred various robotic "colleagues" are firmly established in workshops; LiuGong Group, through its self-developed industrial internet platform, empowers itself and exports intelligent solutions externally... To nurture this fertile ground for innovation, Liuzhou has demonstrated immense determination. From frequent investment promotion trips by city leaders to attracting leading enterprises using innovative models like "fund-based investment promotion"; from meticulously creating Guangxi's first humanoid robot data collection and testing center as a "training ground," to gathering a cluster of AI enterprises at the Guangxi Investment Group Digital Intelligence Sci-Tech Innovation Center, Liuzhou is fully committed to building an AI innovation ecosystem, focusing on creating a robotics manufacturing base and an application scenario innovation base for Guangxi. Liuzhou's ambition in developing its AI industry extends beyond its own transformation and upgrading, aiming at the vast ASEAN market. "The path clearly proposed by the Regional Party Committee, 'R&D in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou + Integration in Guangxi + Application in ASEAN,' has pointed the way for Liuzhou," stated a relevant official from the Liuzhou Municipal Party Committee. This blueprint is already yielding initial results. Guangxi AISpeech Technology Co., Ltd. has developed multilingual smart cockpit software for new energy vehicles exported to ASEAN, helping "Liuzhou-made vehicles" better adapt to local markets, leading to a significant increase in the company's revenue. Robotics products from companies like Guangxi Zhituo Technology Co., Ltd. (under LiuGong Group) and Liuzhou Sansong Automation Technology Co., Ltd. have also entered ASEAN country markets, such as Indonesia, following LiuGong's global layout or through independent overseas ventures. From January to November 2025, exports of high-tech products from Liuzhou surged by 132.2%, with AI products, represented by robots, being a major driving force. From roaring assembly lines to silent code, from steel machinery to intelligent robots, Liuzhou, this century-old industrial city, is reshaping its industrial core through a profound "smart manufacturing" revolution.
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