On August 19, 2026, the 2026 World Robotics Congress (WRC) was officially inaugurated in Beijing. More than 300 exhibiting companies, more than 2,000 exhibits, and more than 150 debut new products were presented. Compared to the previous year, the most significant change at the conference was the move towards a large-scale application of intelligent simulation and simulation techniques in the laboratory.
At this top event in the global robotics industry, Enfo (China) presented a series of innovative sealing products aimed at humanoid robots and industrial robots, demonstrating how companies in the deep sealing field have been using key component technologies to help robots achieve precision movement, reliable operation and longevity. During the conference, Enfo (China) Vice President Wang Lei received an interview from the Robotics Workshop on topics such as exhibition products, local R&D, industrial roles and future opportunities, and shared Enfo's technical accumulation and strategic thinking in the field of robotic sealing.
Ms. Wang Lei, Vice President of the Republic of China
01.
A sealed enterprise with a deep history
In China, the robotics industry is not a new face, and the industrial base behind it is just as deep.
It was founded in 1939 by two of the world's largest sealing industry giants, Japan's NOK Corporation and the German Kodibō Group in China. One of the parent companies, NOK Corporation, was the first company in Japan to engage in the production of oil seals, and is now one of the world's leading manufacturers of seals, with a market share of more than 70% in Japan's sealing products. The other parent company, Kodibō Group, is a globalised technology group with more than 170 years of history, with operations covering several fields such as sealing, vibration control, technical textiles, and clean technology.
Since entering the Chinese market in 1992, Enfo (China) established its first production base in Guangzhou. In 1995, Ningbo Fu Oil Sealing Limited was founded and production began the following year. After that, the Tai Chi Warehouse plant was established. Today, Enfo (China) has established an extensive sales network throughout the country, with three large production bases in Ningbo, Guangzhou and Tai Chi Warehouse, with more than 3,000 employees. In May 2025, the Enfo (China) Technology Center officially closed industrial production, with a total investment of 200 million yuan, building area of 246 million square meters, integrated R&D, production stations, sales and integration, deployment of new energy, production of hydrogen, wind power facilities, robotics, etc.
In the business field, Enfo provides rich technical solutions for a wide range of applications in the automotive and general industry, including well-known brands such as NOK, CFW, Simrit, Simmerring, Merkel, and a full range of sealed products such as oil seals, O-rings, hydraulic and air seals. In recent years, Enfo has been actively laying out robotic tracks, extending its business to the field of humanoid robots based on years of deep-farming industrial robot sealing.
We continue to drive product innovation, not only in the field of industrial robots, but also to actively deploy emerging racetracks such as humanoid robots. Liu Wang Lai said that in comparison to traditional industrial robots, humanoid robots are more complex in terms of structural design and application scenarios, so there are also requirements for new sealed products.
This exhibition covers a number of innovative sealing schemes, including thin film sealing, waterproof sealing IPSR and soft metal film products as the core exhibits of the field of human robots, attracting a large number of spectators. The present exhibition of thin film sealing, for example, is designed for the special needs of human robot joints. The space of human robot joints is small, the structure is tight, while traditional sealing is difficult to fit; the thin film of Enfo is precise embedded in this narrow space.
In the field of industrial robots, Enfo also demonstrated several sealing products, in which HRE oil seals are highly regarded as representative products. Unlike traditional oil seals with only one seal lip, HRE oil seals have three sealing lips removed from the main lip, and also designed an inner lip and an outer lip, for industrial robots with frequent reversal, this design can effectively block internal and external alien erosion and significantly improve the performance of anti-alien intrusion. At the same time, HRE oil seals can also achieve low torque, low friction, which helps to reduce energy consumption.
02.
Local R&D accelerates from on-demand response to co-development
Sealing products appear to be small, but they play an irreplaceable role in the operation of robotic joints, dustproofing, waterproofing, and energy consumption control. As the robot industry's requirements for parts performance, degree of customization, and speed of delivery continue to increase, local R&D capabilities have become key to determining the competitiveness of suppliers.
In the past, due to the lack of local R&D capabilities, we had to rely more on the technical support of overseas parent companies. However, today the competitive environment in the Chinese market is very different, both in terms of cost advantages, response speed and innovation capabilities. The implementation of the Enfo (China) Technology Center has given Enfo significant improvements in product design, material development and verification capabilities, so that it can really respond quickly to customer needs.
More importantly, Enfo's concept of service is undergoing a fundamental transformation.
In recent years, however, Enfo has been actively promoting the transition from a Silicon product provider to a Silicon solutions partner. Through forward-thinking service ports, deep participation in customer project strategies and early R&D, collaborative development and innovation with customers, achieving upgrades from meeting needs to creating needs.
She believes that the key to this transformation is the continuous strengthening of local R&D and technological capabilities. Local technology teams will not only be able to break the barriers to time and communication efficiency, but will also be able to create greater value for customers by being close to the market, working closely with customers, quickly capturing changes in demand and understanding the local application landscape, thus achieving faster technical responses and more efficient collaborative innovation.
When asked what role parts suppliers should play in the robotics industry, Wang Lee gave an answer that transcends traditional positioning.
Now, the field of robotic applications is expanding, previously mainly in the automotive production line using robots, now logistics, warehousing, production and other scenarios are using robots. In such an industry change, Enfo's role awareness is also upgraded. In her view, even if the volume of sealed parts is small, suppliers can be fully actively involved in the innovation process of customers.
Speaking about the most prominent features of China's robotics industry, Wang Li pointed to the slow pace of the boom.
Speaking about the characteristics of the Chinese industry, whether it be in the robotics industry or other manufacturing sectors, the first thing that comes to mind is the rapid development of China. She said, for example, that in the past, the development cycle of a new product could be 18 to 36 months, but now it could be repeated every six months.
This is a very demanding requirement for parts suppliers such as Enfo.
For Enfo, to be a winner in the Chinese market, it is necessary to meet the needs of the market, match the pace of customers. If the market does not pay for the product, the quality is no longer worth, the value needs to be expressed in a way that is acceptable to the market and customers.
In order to match this speed, Enfo is deepening the domesticalisation of the entire industrial chain, from design, R&D, manufacturing to product sales, all done by domestic teams to achieve product and sales R&D integration. Only in this way can we truly match China's speed.
03.
The outlook is bright, landing is still a matter of time.
Wang Lee is optimistic but cautious about the future of the robotics industry.
She believes that the industry is still faced with some real problems that must be overcome. Are robots merely entertaining interactions, or can they really solve the real problems of work and life? How stable is the problem? Is it only possible to complete a one-time delivery, or can it continue to operate?
From an industry point of view, the current supply of humanoid robots is limited. If in the future robots are to become a quantum industry between automobiles and mobile phones, then the matching of the entire industry chain must be followed; up and down flows must be made; products and technologies must be produced in a stable manner; bugs must not occur frequently in the process of generation; users must be friendly; prices must also be reasonable. These are future problems that need to be addressed.
With regard to Enfo's own positioning, Wang Lee has a clear strategic mindset: the development of nanotechnology is unstoppable, and no one can resist the flood of the age. For Enfo, we want to keep pace with the times, continue to focus on forward-looking industries, and allow business to achieve sustainable growth through forward-looking layouts. At the World Robotics Congress, not only will we showcase products and technologies, but we also want to use this platform to interact with customers and downstream industries to explore future trends.
She summarizes her judgement on the robotics industry in English: "The industry is a brilliant future and very promising, but it can't really land, and it will take some time".
Under the spotlight of the 2026 World Robotics Congress, Enfo demonstrates not only a few sealed products, but also a parts company with over thirty years of domestic accumulation, how to redefine its role in an era where robots live together and products need to merge, from silent industry supporters to co-creators who go hand in hand with automakers.
As the robot moves from candy to candy, those little pieces that are hidden deep in the joints, but decide to run quality, are ushering in their own high-light moment.