On the Canton Fair Floor, Robots Move from Curiosity to Real Deals; Over 700 Product Launches Set a Record

During the first phase of the 140th Canton Fair (Oct 15–19), themed Advanced Manufacturing, the service-robot zone became a major draw. According to on-site reports by China Radio International and Securities Times, a range of products—home quadruped robot dogs, humanoid robots, bilingual bionic robots and autonomous pool-cleaning robots—drew buyers from around the world.

Exhibitors say overseas buyers' focus has shifted. Two years ago many were simply curious about the concept of robots; this session they increasingly discuss concrete applications, solution deployment and delivery, with some exhibitors receiving orders within the first few days and notably strong interest from the European Union.

New-product supply is also expanding. Organizers say the fair plans more than 700 new-product launch events and, for the first time, set up a dedicated launch zone. Across the fair, new products and green products account for 23.2% and 26% of exhibits respectively, the number of products launched is up about 15% year on year, and launches in emerging sectors such as service robots, smart healthcare, intelligent manufacturing and new energy are up about 20%. There is also a move from standalone hardware to "product-plus-service" systems—for example vehicle energy systems, dual-arm coffee robots and AR smart glasses that emphasize use cases and after-sales support.

For the platform's smart-manufacturing, robotics, consumer-electronics and new-energy companies, the signals are clear: buyers value deployable solutions over specs alone; green and smart labels strengthen pricing power; and small-batch orders, fast delivery, overseas warehouses and localized after-sales are increasingly expected. Companies should add application scenarios, certifications, lead times and overseas service details to their profiles, and convert fair-side interest into online inquiries.