November 12, 2025 (Paris, France / Arpaia, Italy) – French robotics firm Wandercraft and Italian Tier‑1 automotive supplier SAPA Group have announced a deployment partnership to introduce Wandercraft’s Calvin‑40 autonomous heavy‑payload humanoid robot into SAPA’s industrial manufacturing operations.

According to the announcement, the collaboration marks one of the first instances in Europe in which a leading automotive supplier will formally integrate humanoid robots into its manufacturing workflows at scale. SAPA will deploy the Calvin‑40 in two countries, starting with tasks involving the precise movement of large and heavy parts.

“We don’t believe in building a general‐purpose robot and hoping customers figure out how to use it,” said Matthieu Masselin, CEO and co‑founder of Wandercraft. “Our strategy is deliberately use‑case driven … Partnering with SAPA fits perfectly into our strategy to first deploy use‑cases that are valuable across the entire industry.”

Key Highlights of the Partnership

• Wandercraft’s Calvin‑40 humanoid robot is modular and designed for industrial tasks with heavy payloads (e.g., large parts handling) rather than purely fixed automation.

• SAPA Group becomes the first industrial manufacturer in Italy to formally commit to humanoid robotics deployment at scale, signalling a shift in factory automation strategy.

• The rollout is planned across multiple sites in Europe, aiming not just for pilot usage but for scalable deployment in real production environments.

• The move is seen as part of a broader push in Europe to transition from research‑stage humanoid robotics to commercial, industrial applications, especially amid labour shortages and automation demands.

Strategic Implications

Analysts view the partnership as a milestone for industrial robotics and for Europe’s competitive posture in the humanoid‑robotics arena. While fixed automation has long dominated manufacturing, humanoid robots offer greater flexibility in human‑oriented environments and may help factories adapt to change more rapidly.

For SAPA, deploying the Calvin‑40 could improve operational efficiency in high‑precision, high‑throughput tasks, reduce ergonomic risk for human workers, and integrate advanced robotics into its supply‑chain operations. For Wandercraft, the deal strengthens its position beyond rehabilitation exoskeletons and into mainstream industrial automation.

However, the rollout will bring challenges: integrating humanoid robots into existing production lines demands systems engineering, safety certification, maintenance infrastructure, workforce reskilling, and regulatory oversight in human‑robot interactions.