Minth Group and Chinese robotics company AGIBOT have started the first phase of a humanoid-robot production, marking a new step in Serbia’s efforts to diversify beyond automotive manufacturing. The facility opened on August 29, backed by an initial investment of about €20 million. Production is expected to start at relatively modest volumes, while larger expansion plans remain under discussion.
Serbian officials and investors have also outlined plans for a robotics industrial park in Inđija, with potential long-term capacity of up to 20,000 humanoid robots and robotic dogs annually. That figure is a future target and does not represent current production capacity.
Minth extends its Serbian manufacturing operations
Minth Group already has automotive operations in Serbia, giving the company experience with local labour, logistics, permitting and industrial supply chains.
Serbia’s automotive-component industry employs roughly 100,000 workers and includes manufacturers of wiring systems, tyres, electronics, metal components, drivetrain parts and other equipment for European carmakers. The sector is facing pressure as European manufacturers restructure, reduce costs and shift toward electric vehicles, while higher Serbian wages weaken the advantage of labour-intensive production.
Inđija could support a wider robotics supply chain
The planned Inđija robotics industrial park would require a broader network of suppliers if production reaches the proposed scale. Potential requirements include batteries, motors, actuators, sensors, electronics, precision components, software integration and testing. A separate Chinese investment could provide another related manufacturing capability. Jiangsu Reliance Energy Tech has signed a framework agreement for a planned €100.5 million battery plant in Inđija, producing batteries for drones, humanoid robots, unmanned vehicles, power tools and household appliances. There is no confirmed agreement for Reliance to supply the Minth-AGIBOT operation, so the projects are not currently an integrated supply chain.
Local skills and European demand remain important
Serbia’s automotive sector already provides capabilities in metal processing, electronics, industrial automation, quality control and logistics. The development of robotics manufacturing could require more technicians, automation specialists, software engineers and other skilled workers.
The extent of local engineering, component production, testing and software development will be important for determining how deeply the new projects are integrated into Serbia’s economy. Serbia’s location also provides access to European industrial customers, although Chinese technology manufacturers operating from the country remain exposed to changes in EU trade policy, rules of origin, industrial-security requirements, cybersecurity and data governance. For the Šabac operation, the next indicators will be production volumes, customer deliveries, employment, investment in the Inđija park and the share of components sourced or manufactured in Serbia.
