TMTPOST -- Swiss industrial giant ABB said Thursday it plans to spin off its robotics unit, marking the company’s most significant restructuring move since selling its power grids business to Japan’s Hitachi in 2018. ABB’s robotics division is the world’s second-largest industrial robot maker after Japan’s FANUC Corp, competing with players such as Yaskawa and Germany’s Kuka. The business brought in $2.3 billion in revenue in 2024, representing around 7% of ABB’s total sales. However, performance has softened in recent quarters amid sluggish demand from the automotive industry, a key customer segment. The global robotics market is currently valued at $16.5 billion, according to the International Federation of Robotics, which forecasts a 4% rise in unit sales in 2025. While the sector had anticipated growth from the reshoring of manufacturing to the U.S., sentiment has recently soured due to concerns over President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and their broader impact on global trade.