Rossmann Commences European Pilot of UBTECH Walker S2 Humanoid in Logistics

Key Takeaways

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• Rossmann has initiated a year-long pilot at its Burgwedel facility using the UBTECH Walker S2, marking one of Europe's first large-scale humanoid deployments in retail logistics.
• The project, supported by partner Terra Robotics, focuses on integrating the Walker S2 into existing workflows to handle repetitive and unergonomic tasks.
• This expansion follows a record-breaking 2025 for UBTECH, which saw a 2,203% surge in humanoid revenue and a shift toward full-size robots as its primary income source.
• The Walker S2 features 52 degrees of freedom and an autonomous battery-swapping system, a key requirement for the 24/7 operations Rossmann intends to evaluate.

German retail giant Rossmann announced on March 26, 2026, that it has received its first humanoid robot, the UBTECH Walker S2, at its logistics center in Burgwedel. Delivered by German partner Terra Robotics, the machine is the centerpiece of a long-term pilot project designed to test the viability of humanoid robotics in real-world retail supply chains.

The move signals a strategic shift for both companies. For Rossmann, the goal is to evaluate the robot's potential to relieve human employees of repetitive and physically demanding tasks. For Shenzhen-based UBTECH, the partnership represents a major milestone in its global strategy, transitioning from "product export" to delivering "scenario-based solutions" within the competitive European market.

A Roadmap for Integration

The pilot program is scheduled to run throughout 2026 and follows a structured roadmap divided into several phases. Initial testing will focus on specific use-case scenarios and the necessary IT infrastructure required to support the robot's operation.

"We want to find out early on, based on our own experience, what actually works in everyday life and where the limits lie," said Hendrik van Duuren, Management for Logistics at Rossmann. This cautious but proactive approach reflects a desire to move beyond the current industry "hype" to find "concrete answers and realistically assess the practical benefit."

Rossmann is not only monitoring the technical performance but also the social impact, closely observing how human staff experience collaboration with a humanoid colleague. The ultimate objective is to develop a scalable deployment concept that combines automation with the company's existing digitalization strategy.

The Walker S2: Built for Industry

The Walker S2 is specifically engineered for industrial and warehouse environments. Its technical specifications are designed to mimic or exceed human dexterity:

• 52 Degrees of Freedom: Allowing it to navigate complex environments and handle objects with human-like precision.
• Autonomous Battery Swapping: A signature feature that allows the robot to replace its own power source, facilitating 24/7 continuous operation without human intervention.
• Vision-Language-Action (VLA) Systems: Advanced software that enables the robot to process instructions and perceive its surroundings in a unified loop.

This technical maturity is what UBTECH is banking on to close the "utility gap." The company recently reported a historic "humanoid flip" in its 2025 financial results, where sales of full-size robots like the Walker S series accounted for 41.1% of its RMB 2 billion revenue.

Scaling the Humanoid Workforce

The Rossmann deal is the latest in a string of high-profile industrial validations for UBTECH. The company has already deployed hardware at major automotive and electronics firms such as BYD, Foxconn, and Geely, and recently entered the high-precision semiconductor vertical through a partnership with Texas Instruments.

Earlier this month, UBTECH also announced a strategic cooperation with Honda Trading (China) to explore humanoid deployment in automotive manufacturing and warehousing.

As UBTECH targets a ten-fold production jump to 5,000 units in 2026, the Rossmann pilot serves as a critical test of whether these machines can move from the factory floor of an EV plant to the varied, high-throughput aisles of European retail logistics. If successful, it may provide the blueprint for a broader rollout across the continent’s logistics sector.