On March 13, JD Industrial, ABB Robotics, and Shenzhen Jasic Technology Co., Ltd. officially announced a strategic partnership in China. The three companies will jointly develop a standardized welding robot kit, leveraging JD Industrial’s digital supply chain and omnichannel service capabilities to introduce a new Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) model for industrial welding robots.

The collaboration aims to significantly lower the entry barriers for welding robot adoption through technology integration, channel innovation, and industrial ecosystem coordination, helping unlock the potential of Chinese manufacturing—especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Under the agreement, the three parties will build an end-to-end ecosystem covering technology, products, channels, and services. JD Industrial will act as the exclusive online sales channel, leveraging its customer base of more than 13,300 key enterprise clients and millions of SMEs. It will also provide digital supply chain infrastructure and support the development of DTC experience and delivery centers.

ABB Robotics will supply advanced arc welding robot hardware and full lifecycle technology support, while ensuring prioritized production capacity. Jasic Technology will provide high-performance welding power sources and take responsibility for system integration, standardized testing, warehousing, logistics, and nationwide after-sales service coordination.

Through targeted marketing and channel investment, the partners aim to significantly increase market penetration of standardized welding robot solutions over the next three years.

China’s welding robot market is currently experiencing rapid growth. Market size is expected to reach USD 1.16–1.45 billion by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 10.71%–11.99%, and is projected to exceed USD 2.1 billion by 2033. As manufacturing transformation accelerates, demand for automated welding equipment continues to rise. However, traditional industrial robot purchasing models still face challenges such as long delivery cycles, high entry costs, and slow service response, limiting adoption among SMEs.

The jointly developed standardized welding robot kit combines ABB’s globally leading robotics and automation technologies, software ecosystem, and service capabilities with Jasic’s high-performance welding power systems and integration expertise. The result is a reliable, fast-deployment welding solution designed for industrial scalability.

The DTC model developed with JD Industrial aims to reshape how industrial robots are purchased and deployed. Customers will be able to order standardized welding robot kits online with delivery in as fast as 48 hours. Through DTC experience centers, users can also schedule test welding sessions and receive one-on-one technical guidance, enabling an experience similar to online retail purchasing for industrial automation equipment.

As a leading digital supply chain service provider under JD Group, JD Industrial serves approximately 13,300 key enterprise customers and millions of SMEs. It has built an integrated supply chain system covering MRO, BOM, and spare parts across industrial scenarios.

ABB Robotics, a global leader in industrial robotics, has been operating in China for more than 30 years. With a complete local value chain in R&D, manufacturing, and services, over 90% of robots sold in China are locally produced. This partnership marks ABB Robotics’ first pilot implementation of a DTC model in the robotics sector in China, representing a key milestone in its digital transformation and localization strategy.

Jasic Technology, a national high-tech enterprise in welding equipment, has more than 20 years of expertise in welding and cutting solutions. With over 100 patents and products exported to nearly 100 countries, the company has supported major infrastructure projects such as the Bird’s Nest stadium and Shenzhen Metro. Its strong welding power technology and system integration capabilities provide critical hardware support for the standardized robot kit.

Looking ahead, the three partners will not only focus on scaling the DTC sales model but also plan to establish a joint delivery center integrating R&D, training, and customer experience. As China’s industrial product digitalization continues to advance, the partnership aims to expand the DTC model globally, promoting intelligent welding transformation with China-driven technology and supply chain innovation.