[BERLIN=Edaily, Reporter JAEMIN SONG ] LGELECTRONICS is positioning actuators—which serve as the joints of humanoid robots—as a future growth business. The company is establishing a fully automated production line in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, and is discussing potential supply opportunities with clients, including global big tech companies. Amid rapidly advancing technological capabilities among Chinese manufacturers, LGELECTRONICS’s strategy is to enhance its competitiveness by leveraging 60 years of accumulated motor technology and its global production system.

Baek Seung-tae, Executive Vice President and Head of the HS Business Division at LGELECTRONICS, stated at a press conference held during “IFA 2026” in Berlin, Germany, on the 5th (local time), “We plan to establish a fully automated actuator production line in Changwon soon,” adding, “We are currently pursuing orders with several major tech companies and plan to hold technical discussions regarding production readiness this coming October.”

He noted, “No orders have been finalized with any specific company yet,” but added, “I hope to announce good news regarding orders in October.”

Actuators, consisting of motors, gear reducers, drive controllers, and printed circuit boards (PCBs), function as the joints and muscles of robots. Each humanoid robot contains about 30 actuators, and their share of total material costs is estimated to be as high as 60–70 percent. LGELECTRONICS unveiled its actuator brand, “LG AXIUM,” earlier this year and plans to expand its current lineup of nine products and establish a mass production system by the end of the year.

Vice President Baek cited LGELECTRONICS’ motor technology and mass production capabilities—built up over 60 years of manufacturing home appliances—as the company’s strengths. “We possess ultra-high-speed motor technology capable of over 100,000 rpm (revolutions per minute),” he said, adding, “Based on this, we can ensure high efficiency, lightweight design, and cost competitiveness in our actuators as well.” He explained that the company can reduce the weight and size of its products by more than 30% compared to competitors’ offerings.

For gearboxes, the company will pursue a dual strategy of in-house technology development and external procurement. Since the form and performance of actuators vary by robot manufacturer and have not yet been standardized, the company plans to secure a leading position in the market through joint development with clients. Vice President Baek emphasized, “The actuator market, along with humanoid robots, will experience significant growth starting around 2030,” adding, “Within one to two years, we will grow actuator sales to a level comparable to our external compressor business.”

Regarding the aggressive push by Chinese companies, he acknowledged that the technology gap has narrowed but noted that LGELECTRONICS’ ability to respond has strengthened. “Based solely on the surface-level technology displayed at trade shows, one might feel there is almost no gap between us and Chinese companies,” Vice President Baek said. “However, LGELECTRONICS manufactures core components such as motors and compressors in-house and combines them with control and software technologies, ensuring high quality.”

He continued, “It will be difficult for Chinese companies to continue their low-price offensive,” explaining, “LGELECTRONICS has also diversified its supply chain and flexibly operates 12 production sites across 10 countries worldwide, giving us greater resilience than before to counter Chinese competitors.”

LGELECTRONICS plans to go beyond simply supplying actuators and will directly deploy humanoids on the production floor to verify their performance. The company will soon deploy humanoids that have learned certain processes at its Tennessee plant in the U.S. and will also apply them at its Changwon Smart Factory. The company plans to prepare both wheeled and bipedal models and select the form best suited to the work environment.

Vice President Baek said, “There are more unexpected situations in the home than in industrial settings, so ensuring safety is the top priority,” adding, “Although it will require trial and error and time, the era of home robots may arrive sooner than we think.”