Unichem Acquires US Deep Tech Company Loomia and through strategic R&Y Alliance, Accelerates entry into the Humanoid Robot 'Electronic Skin' Market.
Unichem, a comprehensive materials company (011330), announced on the 7th that it has acquired Loomia Technologies, Inc., a U.S. flexible electronics deep tech company, and will make a full-fledged entry into the next-generation humanoid robot tactile sensor (electronic skin) and smart mobility interior material market targeting global big tech companies.
Unichem signed a key terms of agreement on the 5th to acquire 100% of the shares of Loomia, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, for up to $6.3 million (approximately ₩8.6 billion). The transaction amount will be paid in installments with a diversified structure, including $4 million in cash, $1 million in Unichem common stock, and $1 million in Earn-out CBs. Prior to this, Loomia and R&Y have signed a strategic cooperation agreement,a global electronics component manufacturer, and a system for the joint development and mass production of next-generation tactile sensors for robots.
Founded by Madison Maxey, a Stanford University graduate, Loomia possesses the original technology for 'LEL (Loomia Electronic Layer),' a proprietary ultra-thin flexible circuit technology that allows for thin and flexible bonding of electronic circuits to cloth and leather. Loomia has perfectly overcome the disconnection issue during bending, a drawback of traditional printed electronics, with its non-printed low-resistance mesh technology. Currently, it is a member of the 'HAND ERC' tactile sensing research consortium under the National Science Foundation (NSF), which includes Meta and Amazon Robotics, leading electronic skin technology for the application of physical artificial intelligence (Physical AI).
In particular, the new tactile sensor that Loomia is co-developing with R&Y is a groundbreaking product that simultaneously detects not only the existing vertical pressure but also the shear force, which is the force that slides on the surface. This technology is essential for humanoid robots that need to handle objects with precision like human hands and haptic data gloves for robot training.
Currently, the company aims to deliver the first engineering sample in January 2027, targeting global top-tier robot and AI companies such as Tesla Optimus, OpenAI, Boston Dynamics, 1X、 and Meta.
With this acquisition as a starting point, Unichem has envisioned a blueprint to move beyond being a simple automotive interior material manufacturer and become a 'smart materials platform company' that combines technology and materials. The plan is to maximize synergy by linking Loomia's core technology with R&Y's mass manufacturing capabilities, while also incorporating Unichem's 50 years of accumulated natural leather and high-performance material processing technology. Through this, we plan to develop smart car seats and door trims equipped with thin, flexible heat, pressure sensing, and touch input functions, and expand their supply to global automakers. In fact, Loomia has been selected as a supplier of next-generation seat heating systems for a Volkswagen Group ecosystem vehicle through global seat parts company Sabelt, raising expectations for an explosive shift to mass production utilizing Unichem's Korean infrastructure.
An executive in charge of strategy at Unichem stated, "Loomia's core technology will become the core hardware of the Tactile revolution, going beyond just vision to drive innovation in robotics. Based on our strong manufacturing foundry partnership with R&Y, we aim to establish a foothold for targeting the North American market and concentrate our company-wide capabilities to ensure that Unichem's smart materials are incorporated as key components into the next-generation physical AI projects of leading global tech companies."
Meanwhile, the acquisition process is expected to be completed on October 15th through a reverse triangular merger with a newly established subsidiary by Unichem. Madison Maxey, the founder of Loomia, and Kim Han-joo, CSO of Unichem, will serve as co-CEOs, with plans to accelerate the convergence synergy by succeeding all key engineers.
R&Y Corporation (SHSE: 603286) is a global automotive Tier 1 technology and manufacturing company with a market capitalization of more than $1 billion and over 2,000 employees worldwide. With operations in Bösel, Germany; Wixom, Michigan; and Changzhou, China, R&Y provides automotive-grade co-development and manufacturing capabilities spanning precision machining, injection molding and tooling, printed electronics, dielectrics, and simulation. Building on decades of automotive engineering and manufacturing expertise, R&Y is expanding into humanoid robotics and electronic skin technologies, applying its global scale, manufacturing discipline, and commercialization capabilities to next-generation tactile sensing solutions.
Head of Physical AI and Robotics of R&Y, stated, “We are excited to partner with Loomia to bring together its innovative flexible electronics and sensing technology with R&Y’s automotive-grade engineering, development, and global manufacturing capabilities. We believe this collaboration creates a strong foundation for developing and scaling next-generation tactile sensing and electronic skin solutions for humanoid robotics. By combining our complementary technologies and capabilities, we intend to accelerate the path from engineering development to reliable, high-volume commercialization for customers in the rapidly growing physical AI market.”