Creating Primus Robotics marks a new strategic move in the European industrial roboticsWith the Basque Country and Madrid as the main hubs for its development, the new company was founded with the aim of bringing humanoid robots from the experimental stage to real production lines, in a context where European industry is seeking to automate demanding tasks without completely redesigning its factories.
This joint initiative of Funditec and Fagor Arrasate The aim is to bring to market a humanoid robot capable of working in environments designed for people, sharing space with operators and existing machinery. With a cautious yet ambitious approach, the company intends to manufacture humanoid robots in Spain for industrial and logistical tasks that, to this day, still rely heavily on human physical labor. This collaboration is also part of local projects such as... boost to robotics in the Basque Country.
A joint venture with a clearly industrial focus
The project is structured as a 50% owned joint venture by Funditec Intelligence – Funditec's division specializing in artificial intelligence applied to physical autonomous systems – and Fagor Arrasate, a cooperative integrated into the Mondragón Corporation with extensive experience in industrial automation and capital goodsThis combination of capabilities places Primus Robotics in a unique position within the European robotics ecosystem.
The company has been conceived with a clear industrial vocationIt's not just about research or launching isolated prototypes, but about bringing a humanoid robot designed to operate in factories and warehouses into mass production. The industrial headquarters is located in Arrasate (Mondragón)where Fagor contributes its facilities and know-how in automation integration, robotics, and precision engineering to produce the units that will ultimately be deployed on its customers' lines. This type of industrial decision complements initiatives such as that of other Basque manufacturers who are committed to local robotization.
For its part, Funditec concentrates in its center of Carabanchel (Madrid) research and development of artificial intelligence algorithmsas well as the systems architecture that will power the robot's brain. From there, AI models are designed and customized for each use case, which are then integrated into Primus's own operating system.
The partners have committed to a initial investment of several million euros intended to finance technological development, R&D in artificial intelligence and robotics, and the launch of the first production plant in the Basque Country. At the same time, Primus Robotics is exploring different avenues of State and European public funding to accelerate the scaling of the project and strengthen its role within the strategy of technological autonomy of the EU.
Plant in Arrasate and a phased industrial plan
The production heart of Primus Robotics will be located in a pavilion in Sqm 2.500 The facility is located at Fagor Arrasate in Arrasate, Guipúzcoa. From this location, the humanoid robots will be manufactured, integrated, and validated before being deployed in customer environments.
El The industrial plan is structured in phaseswith increasing investments associated with technical and commercial milestones. According to initial forecasts, around [number] will be produced in 2027 200 unitsThis will serve as a launching pad for validating the product under real-world conditions. The next step is set around the 1.200 units per year in 2030, at which point the company expects to have consolidated the humanoid's fit into different industrial sectors.
From 2031 An expansion of capacity is planned to increase manufacturing volume until the target is reached. exceed 3.000 humanoids annually by 2035This growth will be supported by the experience gained in the first pilot installations and by the demand generated by companies seeking to automate processes without completely transforming their facilities.
The first deployments will take place in industrial environments linked to the partners themselvesThese will act as testbeds under real-world conditions. In this way, production lines and logistics environments associated with Fagor and its ecosystem will serve as a setting to validate both the robot's capabilities and its integration with existing systems.
The initial focus is on industrial and logistical work with repetitive taskssuch as handling parts, supplying production lines, or supporting maintenance operations. However, the project's promoters do not rule out the possibility that, once the system's robustness has been demonstrated, the humanoids could take on other tasks. heavy or potentially dangerous work in other sectors where security and generational change of the workforce are critical factors.
Primus P1 and a sovereign AI operating system
The company's first product will be Primus P1A humanoid robot designed specifically for professional environments. Although all the technical details have not yet been made public, its developers present it as the first industrial humanoid produced in Spaindesigned to operate in factories and warehouses without the need to redesign the infrastructure from scratch.
The centerpiece of the project is Primus OSA proprietary operating system based on artificial intelligence that runs at the edge (edge AI). This approach aims to enable the humanoid to make real-time decisions in the field, reducing reliance on the cloud and ensuring greater control over the data generated during the robot's daily operation. Connectivity and low-latency communications, such as those analyzed in industrial 5G solutions, they can be a key support for these factory deployments.
One of the aspects that company officials emphasize most is their commitment to a “sovereign and Spanish intelligence”The idea is that the data collected by the robots will remain within the factory, and that the consolidation of code and models will take place in processing centers managed by the project partners. This aims to strengthen technological autonomy and protect sensitive information associated with production processes.
Each robot learns specific tasks from real data from the process and observationimproving its performance with practice. Subsequently, it shares the relevant parameters with the rest of the fleet through mechanisms of federated learningThis allows the experience acquired by a humanoid to be transferred to others without sacrificing the confidentiality of the raw data.
In terms of hardware and components, Primus Robotics works with international suppliers for key components and relies on the Mondragón industrial ecosystem for manufacturing and integration. This combination of global supply chains with local assembly and design seeks to balance competitiveness, reliability, and control over critical technology. In some cases, the integration of new robotic hands and tools is a differentiating factor, as demonstrated by developments in autonomous robotic hands.
Interoperability and difference compared to traditional robotics
The company insists that the project has been designed with a strong focus on interoperability with the installed technology base in European factories. The intention is that the humanoid can connect with common plant systems, such as PLCs, MES or SCADA, through industry standard protocols such as OPC UAthus reducing the technical barriers to integration.
This approach aims to minimize changes to existing infrastructure and reduce the implementation times in new customers. Compatibility with platforms of digital twin It is also considered a key pillar, as it allows for the simulation and validation of robot deployment before physical intervention on production lines, something that can be especially useful in sectors with highly controlled processes. The challenges of controlling and navigating mobile platforms are addressed in works on autonomous control and SLAM.
In contrast to traditional industrial robotics, which is often based on fixed arms or cobots programmed to very specific tasksPrimus Robotics advocates a more flexible approach. The humanoid is conceived as a system mobile and autonomouscapable of moving around the factory, collaborating with operators and adapting to changes in the environment or in the assigned tasks without needing to reprogram the installation from scratch.
The technological architecture has been designed from the beginning with a logic open and modularThe aim is to facilitate component upgrades, the integration of new software modules, and adaptation to different industrial processes. This contrasts with some closed solutions where customization is more expensive and time-consuming, hindering their adoption by factories with evolving needs.
All of this is part of a broader trend of European industrywhich is moving from isolated pilot projects with humanoids to considering their permanent integration into certain production lines. Some of the first trials are being carried out in automotive plants, a field that is particularly demanding in terms of safety, repeatability, and precision.
Impact on skilled employment and the local ecosystem
In terms of employment and economic fabric, Primus Robotics anticipates the creation of around one hundred direct skilled jobs In the first few years, a similar number of indirect jobs would be created, associated with suppliers, specialized services, and local businesses. The intention is to build a complete value chain and not be limited to an assembly of components designed by third parties.
The profiles sought range from software engineering and artificial intelligence from mechanical and electronic design, through production and assembly technicians, testing personnel, sales teams, and support services. A significant part of the team will be located in the Basque Country, with the explicit intention of leveraging and strengthening the Basque industrial and technological ecosystem, while AI research is concentrated in Carabanchel.
Those in charge of the project acknowledge that the demographic aging The difficulty in filling certain factory positions has also influenced the initiative's planning. In regions like the Basque Country, with a predominantly elderly population, industrial companies are finding it increasingly difficult to attract workers willing to perform these tasks. physically demanding tasks or in hazardous environments.
In this sense, Primus Robotics' proposal is presented as a complement to human work Rather than a mass replacement, the technology is geared towards taking over the most physically demanding, repetitive, or dangerous tasks, allowing people to redeploy to higher-skilled, higher-value roles within the same organization. The company recognizes that this transition process is already underway in many sectors and aims to support it with locally developed technology.
In terms of investment and return, the project is structured around a phased planwith validation milestones that determine new capital injections. Both partners have emphasized that the commitment to manufacturing humanoids in Arrasate is one of the most ambitious decisions in recent years for Fagor Arrasate, combining automation, robotics, and precision engineering with a global vocation.
Business model and market strategies
Regarding the business model, Primus Robotics proposes the following as its main approach: direct sale of units accompanied by service contracts. These agreements will include preventive and corrective maintenance, Software updates, technical support and possible functional improvements throughout the robot's lifespan, similar to what is already seen in other families of advanced industrial machinery.
The company does not rule out, however, formulas of pay per use or subscription schemes that facilitate early adoption of the technology. This type of structure could be particularly attractive to customers who want to test the integration of humanoids in their plants without making a large capital investment from the outset.
From a market perspective, the initial focus is on industrial and logistics environmentsThese are currently considered the segments with the greatest need for flexible automation. They are spaces where highly structured processes coexist with repetitive manual tasks, and where the introduction of a humanoid robot capable of moving around the plant can add value relatively quickly.
In the medium term, the project envisions differentiated business strategies depending on the sector and company size. In the case of industrial SMEs, formulas combining local integrators, turnkey projects, and tailored financial solutions are being studied, with the aim of reducing barriers to entry and enabling smaller companies to access this technology as well. Initiatives on talent and international projection, such as the national robotics meetingThey serve as a framework for these strategies.
The approach opens the door to more intensive service models where needed, with packages that include staff training, support in integration and ongoing support to adapt the robot's operation to changes in the production process. In this way, Primus Robotics aims to position itself not only as a hardware manufacturer, but also as a long-term technology partner for industry. The connection with training centers and regional laboratories, such as innovation labs, can facilitate adoption and training.
European dimension and development of physical AI
Beyond the state level, the project is part of a European context in which the humanoid robotics Automation is beginning to gain traction as a tool to strengthen the industry's competitiveness. Plants across the continent are simultaneously facing cost pressures, environmental demands, generational succession challenges, and an increasingly competitive global environment—factors that are driving the adoption of more sophisticated automation.
Funditec emphasizes that Primus Robotics represents an important step in the development of what they call Physical AIArtificial intelligence systems integrated into autonomous platforms that must operate in complex and, in many cases, challenging environments mission criticalThis experience is also enriched by other projects in which the entity participates, such as the development of autonomous ground vehicles for defense and security, which opens the door to a possible knowledge transfer between different applications.
The choice of the company's name itself, with reference to the motto "Primus circumdedisti me" associated with Juan Sebastián Elcano, points to a symbolic vocation of leadership and exploration, although the project relies on very specific parameters of industrial competitiveness and technological autonomy. The stated objective is to contribute to Europe having own capabilities in a segment that may prove strategic in the coming decades.
In terms of positioning, Fagor Arrasate continues to strengthen its role as global provider of advanced metal forming and processing solutionsMeanwhile, Funditec Intelligence is consolidating its role in designing AI architectures for complex physical systems. Primus Robotics is positioned at the intersection of these two worlds, with a proposal that combines heavy machinery engineering and advanced software.
Framed in this way, the project aims to put the Basque Country and Spain on the map of the manufacturing of industrial humanoid robotsLeveraging the existing industrial base and adding locally developed artificial intelligence capabilities, if the timeline is met and demand supports it, the production of the Primus P1 and its successors could make the new company a key player in the European industry's transition to more automated models, while maintaining control over the technology and the data that underpin them.
