Chinese LiDAR producer Robosense Technology plans to launch its first manufacturing site outside China in Southeast Asia in the second half of 2026, Nikkei Asia reported.
The Shenzhen-headquartered company said the factory, which is now being built, is intended to serve overseas customers looking to broaden their supply chains beyond China.
According to the report, the company did not reveal where the new facility will be located.
The decision comes as more international customers ask suppliers to reduce exposure to risks arising from tensions between the US and China.
Mark Qiu, chief executive of Robosense, told the publication that several customers had asked the company to build production capacity overseas because of concerns over “U.S.-China geopolitics and tariff issues”.
He said some buyers still prefer sourcing from China because of the cost benefits provided by the country’s domestic supply network, while others favour an “in global, for global” production model for markets outside China.
Chinese LiDAR manufacturers, which make systems that use pulsed laser light to create 3D maps of surrounding environments, have come under regulatory attention in some countries, especially the US, because of possible defence-related uses.
Robosense had earlier been named on a Pentagon list of companies alleged to have links to the Chinese military, though that list was later withdrawn.
The planned factory reflects a wider push by LiDAR companies to expand internationally.
In January, rival Hesai Technology said it would build its first overseas plant in Thailand, with production set to start in early 2027.
Robosense also said it had won a sizeable order from a European humanoid robotics company, with shipments due to begin later in 2026.
The company is also working on its own chipset for next-generation LiDAR products, which it expects to unveil in the third quarter of 2026 to support more advanced robotics capabilities.
Robosense reported net profit of 106.1m yuan ($15.6m) in the fourth quarter of 2025, reversing a loss of 130.5m yuan in the same period a year earlier.
The result was supported by a 183% rise in lidar shipment volumes, driven by demand from automotive and robotics applications.
