Serbia's first robot factory officially began production in the western city of Sabac on Saturday local time. Jointly built by China and Serbia, it is also Europe's first mass-production base for humanoid robots. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, attending the launch ceremony, called the project an important step toward the country's future, Chinese automotive supplier Minth Group told the Global Times on Sunday.

The first humanoid robot produced at the factory rolled off the production line on the day operations began. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic interacted with the robot, which also demonstrated a range of functions, including Chinese calligraphy, folding clothes, playing chess and dancing, according to the company.

Vucic said humanoid robot production has opened up a new field of technological development for Serbia. The country hopes to integrate robot manufacturing with industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), supercomputing and data centers, while boosting local talent development and employment and strengthening Serbia's position in Europe's robotics industry.

Vucic said the launch in Sabac was of great significance for Serbia, adding that the country is becoming a frontrunner in the mass production of humanoid robots in Europe.

Minth Group told the Global Times that the first phase of the robot factory involved an investment of 20 million euros and covers about 3,000 square meters. The facility focuses on assembling humanoid robots and robotic dogs, as well as calibrating motion and vision systems and conducting performance tests.

The factory showcases capabilities including high-precision flexible manipulation, intelligent environmental adaptation, multi-robot coordination and industrial automation. It also displays service robots designed for the Specialized Expo 2027 Belgrade.

According to the plan, the project will later include a robotics industrial park in Serbia, with total investment expected to reach about 200 million euros. Once fully completed, annual production capacity for humanoid robots and robotic dogs is projected to reach up to 20,000 units, targeting markets in Europe and beyond.

The company told the Global Times that the mass-produced embodied-intelligence robots are equipped with multimodal perception systems, with tactile and sensing technologies integrated into their fingertips for precise force control and flexible grasping. Powered by AI deep-learning algorithms, they can adapt autonomously to complex environments and continuously improve their capabilities.

The robots are gradually being deployed in industrial settings for loading and unloading, material handling and inspection, replacing workers in dangerous and repetitive tasks while improving manufacturing efficiency and safety. In the future, they are also expected to expand into home and elderly-care applications, providing companionship and intelligent assistance as human-robot collaboration becomes more natural and integrated into daily life, according to the company.

Minth Group's cooperation with Serbia is not a recent development, but part of a relationship built over years. The company first entered the Serbian market in 2018 and has since maintained an eight-year presence in the country, where it has established 10 factories.

At the end of May, during Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's visit to East China's Zhejiang Province, Serbia and Minth Group signed two new investment agreements. The Loznica project involves an investment of 135 million euros and is expected to create 600 jobs, while the Sabac project will involve 91 million euros in investment and create 220 jobs.

Serbia has a history of pioneering robotics research, including work on bionic hands and bipedal exoskeletons. The launch of the new production base marks a fresh step in the country's participation in the global humanoid robotics industry.

Minth Group said Serbia will serve as a strategic hub for its European operations, while the company supports preparations for Expo 2027 Belgrade and expands into European and global robotics markets. It also plans to strengthen large-scale production and localized manufacturing capabilities.