VIGOR and Celanese Enter into a Strategic Partnership Agreement

Celanese Corporation, a global speciality materials and chemicals company and leading supplier of high-performance engineering plastics, has entered into a strategic partnership with VIGOR Precision Ltd., a global leader in precision plastic gears and component manufacturing. Signed at the Celanese Shanghai Commercial and Technology Center, the agreement aims to accelerate the development and commercialisation of lightweight plastic joint solutions for humanoid robots.

Under the agreement, Celanese will supply VIGOR with specialised high-performance plastic materials and comprehensive technical support, helping advance material independence and accelerate the commercialisation of high-end core components for robotic applications. The signing ceremony was attended by senior executives from both companies, including VIGOR CEO Hoi-sang Chan and Todd Elliott, Senior Vice President of Engineered Materials at Celanese.

Addressing Industry Challenges: High-Performance Plastics Replace Steel to Enhance Robotic Motion

Driven by rapid advances in artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence, humanoid robots are gaining momentum across commercial applications. However, conventional metal joint modules add considerable weight, limiting robots’ operating endurance, responsiveness, and load-bearing performance.

With more than 40 years of experience in precision plastic transmission systems, VIGOR has specialised in developing high-precision plastic gears and components since its establishment in 1982. Through its strategic partnership with Celanese, the company aims to develop next-generation plastic joints for humanoid robots. Its core objective is to reduce the weight of joint modules by more than 30% by replacing conventional metals with high-performance plastics, while still ensuring transmission accuracy and long-term reliability.

Advancing Core Technologies: Rigorous Performance Criteria Set New Material Standards

Humanoid robot joints demand exceptional material performance to withstand rapid starts and stops, high-frequency repetitive motion, and complex loading conditions. Building on their shared technical vision, Celanese and VIGOR will focus on addressing critical challenges in strength and rigidity, temperature resistance and thermal stability, transmission precision and self-lubrication, as well as lightweight design and dimensional accuracy.

Deep Collaboration: Comprehensive Support from Material Selection Through Mass Production

The agreement extends beyond a conventional supplier-customer relationship, establishing close technical collaboration across the entire value chain. Celanese will provide customised material solutions tailored to VIGOR’s technical requirements, supporting targeted material commercialisation, comprehensive lifecycle validation, and consistent performance throughout large-scale production.

Hoi-sang Chan, CEO of VIGOR, stated at the signing ceremony: “VIGOR possesses deep technical expertise in precision plastic molding, while Celanese is a global leader in high-performance materials science. Today’s partnership marks a crucial step in infusing ‘material genetics’ into ‘precision manufacturing.’ We look forward to working closely together to achieve the precise formulation of high-performance materials for robotic joints, thereby clearing the way for the large-scale deployment of humanoid robots.”

“Robotics is an increasingly important growth area for engineered materials, with customers seeking compact, durable, lightweight and low-noise solutions that can perform reliably in demanding applications,” said Todd Elliott, Senior Vice President, Celanese Engineered Materials. “Through this partnership, we can bring Celanese materials science, application development and local technical capabilities together with VIGOR’s precision gear design and manufacturing expertise to help enable the next generation of robotic motion systems.”

The strategic partnership between VIGOR and Celanese represents a significant step toward lightweighting critical humanoid robot components by replacing steel with high-performance plastics. The companies plan to deepen their collaborative innovation and accelerate the commercialisation of advanced plastic joint solutions for industrial, commercial, and specialised service robots.

Source: Celanese