The new factory of an American robotics startup is nearing completion. Will the industry cycle begin?

On Monday (September 18) local time, the start-up Agility Robotics announced that the company is close to opening a robot manufacturing factory "RoboFab" in Oregon, USA, where it plans to mass-produce its humanoid logistics warehousing robot "Digit".

The 70,000-square-foot RoboFab facility, the world's first humanoid robot factory, began initial construction last year and is expected to open later this year, according to a press release from Agility. The company expects to have a production capacity of hundreds of Digit robots in the first year, with the ability to expand to more than 10,000 units per year in the future.

Damion Shelton, co-founder and CEO of the company, said, "The opening of our factory marks a pivotal moment in the history of robotics: the beginning of mass production of commercial humanoid robots."

Agility will also hire more than 500 new employees for the factory, and Digit robots will also be at work in the new factory, responsible for moving, loading and unloading totes.

It is understood that each Digit has two legs and two arms, is about the same size as an adult, and is mainly used to perform repetitive tasks. Its competitors in the same field include Tesla's "Optimus".

However, Agility Chief Operating Officer Aindrea Campbell told the media that the company’s focus is on the installation and testing of the first production line. “This is a very arduous process and is not something that can be completed with the flick of a switch.”

It is understood that Campbell has worked at Ford Motor Company for 16 years and Apple for 5 years. During his career at Apple, he served as senior director of iPad operations.

"The tipping point today is that we are opening factories, installing production lines, and starting to expand capacity and scale in ways we have never seen before," she said. Campbell said the company plans to have robots transport materials around its own factories.

Asked if he was concerned that its technology might "take people's jobs," Shelton said he expected Digit to allow manufacturing and logistics companies to meet growing demand, as hiring remains a challenge and many workers choose to retire or leave the industry.

In April last year, Agility Robotics completed a $150 million Series B round of financing, led by the well-known venture capital fund DCVC and Playground Global founded by "Father of Android" Andy Rubin, and followed by the Amazon Industry Innovation Fund and others.

DCVC co-founder and managing partner Matt Ocko said Digit should be able to fill millions of unwanted job roles. At the same time, Ocko emphasized that humanoid robots designed by Agility Robotics can work safely and autonomously as "robotic colleagues."