Matic, the robot vacuum and mop manufacturer, is pledging U.S. manufacturing, setting itself apart from import-reliant rivals. The pledge comes as the Federal Communications Commission added Matic's original model 4MA0001 and its charging dock 4DK0008 to a ban waiver list Oct. 2.
The FCC waiver allows these radio products to be imported, marketed and sold in the U.S. Matic's radios for these models were approved years ago, making the waiver largely symbolic for current operations. FCC bans on foreign drones, robots and routers typically apply to future products, not those with existing radio approvals.
Matic does not seek FCC approval for its products directly. Instead, it integrates an off-the-shelf Intel AX210 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which holds its own FCC approval. This is the same type of Wi-Fi card found in desktop and laptop computers.
The company also assembles its robots in Mountain View, California, which exempts it from import bans. Co-founder and CEO Mehul Nariyawala said Matic obtains its core compute platform from Nvidia and sources other components from U.S. companies whenever possible.
Nariyawala confirmed that until three months ago, both Matic’s research and development offices and production facilities shared a 24,000 square foot space in Mountain View. The company has since converted the entire facility into a production site and relocated its offices to Menlo Park.
This expansion aligns with a significant increase in production. Matic shipped 1,500 robots a year ago; that number has grown to 17,000 units currently. This represents a 1,033 percent increase in annual robot shipments.
Despite its U.S. assembly, Matic admits it has not yet reached the 65 percent U.S. supplier component threshold required for a product to be considered “Made in the U.S.” This leaves open the possibility that foreign components could still present regulatory challenges without a waiver, particularly as the FCC moves to close loopholes in its ban enforcement.
The FCC is evaluating whether to require manufacturers to disclose all gadget components and is retroactively enforcing rules against companies it perceives as circumventing regulations. Matic's proactive commitment to increasing U.S. manufacturing contrasts with other companies that have received waivers without similar public pledges.
Matic announced Matic Cues, positioning itself as the only American-assembled home robot capable of understanding more than 70 spoken languages. The company continues to seek more U.S. suppliers to reduce its reliance on foreign parts.
