Hayward just turned into one of the Bay Area’s most sci-fi job sites. Robotics firm 1X Technologies has fired up full-scale production of NEO, its home humanoid robot, inside a newly opened 58,000-square-foot factory. The plant already employs more than 200 workers and is initially aiming to roll out about 10,000 NEOs a year, with the company saying it plans to ramp toward 100,000 units annually by the end of 2027. A preorder surge that snapped up the first year of production within days has shipments on track to start in 2026.
In a company announcement, 1X dubbed the Hayward facility “America’s first vertically integrated high-volume humanoid robot factory,” saying it is building many of the most critical parts in-house, including motors, batteries and sensors. Early NEO units are already pitching in on the line with parts handling and data collection, and the company says the plant went from permits to operation in roughly three months, producing thousands of motors on-site, according to 1X.
Why Hayward matters
The Hayward factory plugs into a larger push to bring advanced manufacturing back to the Bay Area and tighten up long, fragile supply chains. That trend, and the money chasing it, was highlighted by the Los Angeles Times, which noted that 1X has attracted a roster of high-profile investors. The company has said this East Bay site is just the start, with an even larger plant planned in San Carlos as it ramps capacity.
What NEO can do — and who it is for…