The Swiss company ABB Robotics, owned by the Japanese bank Softbank, has announced that it will build a new technology and operations centre in Sabadell (Barcelona). The building, which will cover approximately 15,000 square metres on a 60,000-square-metre site, will bring together teams specialising in engineering, machine vision, software and autonomous mobile robots (AMR). It will also feature training facilities and collaborative spaces to develop physical AI solutions for its customers.

The new centre, which is expected to become operational in 2028, will centralise operations for Spain and Portugal. Bringing all disciplines together at a single location will facilitate and accelerate the development and testing of new solutions, in collaboration with customers and technology partners, before their large-scale deployment in industry. These solutions will target sectors such as automotive, logistics, electronics and consumer goods.

Vision powered by artificial intelligence (AI)
The facilities will include laboratories, a training centre, a customer experience space, a technology showroom and areas for developing and assembling robotic solutions. There will be environments specifically designed to allow customers to explore and test the technologies, as well as collaborate on potential improvements to them.

One of the technologies in which the centre will specialise is AI-powered vision, which will enable the development of more autonomous and versatile robots that, by seeing and interpreting their surroundings, will be able to perform more tasks, in more places, and do so faster, more safely and more intelligently.

International responsibilities
In addition to centralising operations in Spain and Portugal, the technology centre will house functions with international responsibilities, including global solution centres for the automotive industry and teams specialising in service robotics and digital solutions.

Advanced assembly applications, industrial process automation solutions and intralogistics systems based on autonomous mobile robots will be developed at its facilities. It will also support the development of autonomous mobile robot (AMR) technology at the ABB Robotics plant in Burgos, primarily to connect engineering and manufacturing capabilities with customers’ needs.

Innovative physical AI solutions
The President of ABB Robotics, Marc Segura, explains: “Robotics and physical AI are entering a new era in which artificial intelligence, software and industrial expertise must advance together. Our new centre in Sabadell will enable us to connect these capabilities and deliver innovative, industrial-grade physical AI large-scale solutions to customers across all sectors and around the world”.

Meanwhile, Sergio Martín, Managing Director of ABB Robotics for Spain and Portugal, states that with this initiative “we continue to expand ABB Robotics’ expertise in industrial robotics, vision systems, software and autonomous mobile robots”, and adds: “Choosing Sabadell ensures ABB Robotics’ continued presence in the Vallès district, maintains proximity to its existing teams and strengthens its connection with Catalonia’s industrial and technological ecosystem.”

The Swiss company aims to expand its collaboration with universities, technology centres, training organisations and businesses to develop new capabilities in robotics, automation, software and artificial intelligence.

^{Photo: ABB Robotics}