UBTech’s US$237 million Fenglong deal tightens humanoid robot supply chain

Chinese humanoid robot maker UBTech Robotics is moving to lock down key manufacturing capacity, agreeing to pay nearly 1.7 billion yuan (US$237 million) in cash to take control of Shenzhen-listed mechanical component maker Zhejiang Fenglong as it pushes to scale up humanoid robot production.\nThe two-stage deal will begin with UBTech acquiring a 29.99 per cent stake in Fenglong from existing shareholders for 1.16 billion yuan, followed by a voluntary partial offer to buy a further 13.02 per cent for about 504 million yuan, according to a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Wednesday.\nThe offer prices Fenglong’s shares at 17.72 yuan each, a 10 per cent discount to the company’s December 17 close of 19.68 yuan, before trading was halted.\nAfter the first phase, UBTech will gain the right to nominate six of Fenglong’s seven board directors. Once both stages are completed, the Hong Kong-listed robotics firm expects to hold at least a 43 per cent stake in the company.\nFenglong manufactures engines for garden tools, automotive components and machine pressure-control systems. Its shares resumed trading on Thursday and immediately hit the 10 per cent daily limit, opening at 21.65 yuan.\nUBTech, which listed in Hong Kong in December 2023, last traded at HK$109.5 during Wednesday’s half-day session, giving it a market capitalisation of HK$47.38 billion.\nThe acquisition is intended to leverage Fenglong’s manufacturing expertise and supply chain to accelerate UBTech’s humanoid robotics development, while also giving the company its first A-share-listed subsidiary, it said.\nThe move comes as Chinese robotics firms increasingly turn to acquisitions of mainland-listed companies to deepen industrial capabilities and secure access to domestic capital markets.\nUnitree Robotics completed its pre-IPO tutoring process last month and is expected to file for an onshore listing soon.\nMeanwhile, Tencent Holdings-backed AgiBot, also known as Zhiyuan Robotics, which this year took a controlling stake in Shanghai-listed Swancor Advanced Materials, was reportedly preparing for a Hong Kong listing in 2026.\nChongqing-based Sevnce Robotics, which focuses on emergency safety robots, is also set to acquire at least a 44.84 per cent stake in Shenzhen-listed LNG logistics provider Senton Energy, according to a recent exchange filing.\n