(Yicai) Oct. 20 -- Service robots designed for tasks ranging from solar panel and beach cleaning to mobility assistance drew crowds during the first phase of the ongoing 140th Canton Fair, as Chinese manufacturers reported growing overseas interest and rising exports.

Visitors queued to enter the service robot zone, highlighting growing interest in robots with practical applications, Yicai learned. Exhibitors expect demand to rise further as artificial intelligence technology advances, with some planning to develop new products and expand overseas sales networks.

The Canton Fair, officially known as the China Import and Export Fair, is held twice a year in southern China's Guangzhou. The 140th edition runs through Nov. 4 in three phases, showcasing products ranging from electronics and industrial equipment to household goods and consumer products. The service robot exhibition was part of the first phase, which ended yesterday.

Li Chuling, foreign trade manager at Zhongneng Photovoltaic Equipment, told Yicai that the maker of solar panel cleaning robot had received more than 1,000 business cards from prospective buyers each day of the fair. Its customers are mainly overseas developers and operators of PV projects.

Exports account for three-quarters of Zhongneng's solar panel cleaning robot sales, while export volumes have tripled year on year, Li told Yicai. The robots remove dust and dirt from solar panels to improve efficiency and cut cleaning costs.

The largest export market is Asia. The region makes up 45 percent of Zhongneng's overseas sales, while South America accounts for 10 percent to 15 percent, Li said. North America's share has fallen to less than 15 percent from 20 percent previously because of tariffs and other factors.

The market penetration rate of solar panel cleaning robots is approaching 35 percent, according to Li, who expects it to rise further over the next one to two years as AI-powered products become more widely adopted.

Growing competition has driven down the average selling price of solar panel cleaning robots to between USD1,500 and USD2,500, but barriers to entry remain, offering some protection against new rivals, Li noted.

Beach-Cleaning, Exoskeleton Robots Attract Overseas Buyers

Beach-cleaning robots are also proving popular. Zhang Wei, general manager of Peaks-Eco, told Yicai that sales have surged since the maker of waste sorting equipment launched its first beach-cleaning robot at the end of last year, with cumulative sales reaching 100 units.

Domestic and overseas markets each account for half of sales. The company has exported its products to Spain, Italy, and Greece, while demand is also strong in the United States.

Remote-controlled beach-cleaning robots sell for USD10,000 to USD20,000 each, while AI-powered models cost USD30,000 to USD50,000, Zhang said. The latter can navigate autonomously, plan routes, avoid obstacles, clean and recharge automatically, and detect objects using infrared sensors at night.

Encouraged by the success of its beach-cleaning robots, Peaks-Eco plans to develop cleaning robots for shallow seas and lakes, Zhang added.

Wearable exoskeleton robots, which help people walk and improve mobility by supporting their movements, have also attracted strong interest from overseas buyers.

Han Yingrui, assistant to the president of TransitX, told Yicai that the company secured orders for more than 10 units during the fair's first phase and is in talks with potential overseas distributors.

TransitX's robots are primarily designed to help elderly people and those with mobility impairments walk, but can also be used by younger people for strength training, Han said.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Emmi Laine