[Zhangjiang, Shanghai, China – August 14, 2026] On the morning of August 14, in Zhangjiang, Shanghai—a global hub for scientific and technological innovation—VIGOR, a global giant in precision plastic gears and components manufacturing, and CELANESE, a global chemical and specialty materials company and leading supplier of high-performance engineered materials (NYSE: CE), officially signed a strategic partnership agreement at CELANESE's China headquarters. The partnership aims to advance the development and commercialization of lightweight plastic joint solutions for humanoid robots.

Under the agreement, CELANESE will provide VIGOR with targeted development of high-performance plastic materials and comprehensive technical support, jointly driving the independent controllability and industrial implementation of materials for core high-end robotics components. Senior executive management from both companies, including Michael Chan, Chief Executive Officer of VIGOR, and Todd Elliott, Senior Vice President of Engineered Materials at CELANESE, attended the signing ceremony to witness this milestone moment.

Breaking Through Industry Pain Points: Replacing Steel with Plastics to Reshape Robot Kinematic Performance

With the explosive growth of artificial intelligence and embodied AI, the commercial application of humanoid robots is attracting widespread attention. However, the excessive weight of traditional metal joint modules severely restricts robots' battery life, dynamic response speed, and load-bearing performance.

As an industry benchmark with over four decades of deep cultivation in the field of precision plastic power transmission, VIGOR has been dedicated to the R&D of precision plastic gears and components since its establishment in 1982. In this strategic collaboration, VIGOR has set clear core R&D targets for next-generation humanoid robot plastic joints: by introducing high-performance plastics to replace traditional metals, the joint modules will achieve a weight reduction of over 30%, while ensuring transmission precision and long-term reliability.

Focusing on Core Technologies: Rigorous Metrics Defining "Next-Generation" Material Standards

Humanoid robot joints demand extreme material performance under high-speed startup/shutdown, high-frequency reciprocating motion, and complex loading conditions. In accordance with the technical consensus reached by both parties, this collaboration will jointly focus on tackling core technical indicators, including: high strength and high rigidity, exceptional temperature resistance and thermal stability, precision transmission and self-lubricating characteristics, as well as ultimate lightweighting and dimensional accuracy.

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Deep Synergy: Full-Link Empowerment from Material Selection to Mass Production

This signing is not merely the establishment of a supply-demand relationship, but rather a deep technological integration across the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain. Per the agreement, CELANESE will provide customized material solutions based on the technical specifications proposed by VIGOR, supporting targeted material development, full-lifecycle validation, and performance consistency assurance under mass production scales.

Michael Chan, CEO of VIGOR, stated at the signing ceremony: "VIGOR possesses deep technical expertise in precision plastic molding, while CELANESE is a global leader in high-performance materials science. Today's partnership is a critical step in injecting 'material genes' into 'precision manufacturing.' Through our close collaboration, we look forward to truly achieving precise modulation of high-end robot joint materials, clearing obstacles for the scaled application of the humanoid robot industry."

Todd Elliott, Senior Vice President at CELANESE, remarked: "Robotics is increasingly becoming an important growth area for our engineered materials business. Customers are seeking material solutions that can operate reliably in harsh environments, are compact, durable, and combine lightweighting with low noise. Through this partnership, we will combine Celanese's materials science, application development, and local technical capabilities with VIGOR's precision gear design and manufacturing expertise to jointly drive the research and development of a new generation of robotic motion systems."

This strategic collaboration between VIGOR and CELANESE marks a solid step forward in the lightweighting process of core humanoid robot components through the "plastic-replacing-steel" initiative. Looking ahead, both companies will continue to deepen technology co-creation, accelerating the commercialization process of high-performance plastic joint solutions to meet application demands across industrial, commercial, and special service robot sectors.

VIGOR Precision Limited is a high-tech enterprise dedicated to the design and manufacturing of plastic gears, plastic components, high-precision metals, and motorized gearboxes. Headquartered in Hong Kong and radiating across the Greater Bay Area, the company operates 4 distinct factories with a total workforce exceeding 3,000 employees. Its manufacturing plants are primarily located in Dongguan, covering a production area of 230,000 square meters. VIGOR is a drafting organization for the Chinese National Standard for Plastic Gears (GB/T 38192-2019) and a member unit of AGMA and CGMA. Guided by the vision of "building a world-class pioneer in power transmission systems and precision components," VIGOR focuses on the design and technical production of highly precise plastic gears and parts, continually delivering maximum value to many of the world's most creative and demanding companies and brand creators, and standing strong in the global market alongside its partners through professional, robust R&D technology and high-quality products.

About Celanese

Celanese Corporation is a global chemical technology leader in the production of specialty materials, and our products are used globally in industries and consumer applications. Our businesses use our broad chemistry, technology and business expertise to create value for our customers, employees, shareholders and the corporation. We are committed to responsibly managing the materials we create and growing our sustainable product portfolio to support customer and society needs. We strive to make a positive impact in our communities and to foster inclusivity across our teams. Celanese is a Fortune 500 company with an employment base of approximately 11,000 employees worldwide and net sales of $9.5 billion in 2025.