Technical advance
Pudu Robotics: BG1 Cleaning Robot Wins Two ISSA Awards
Pudu Robotics' PUDU BG1 cleaning robot won two ISSA awards in 2026, in Asia and Australia, reinforcing its global lead in commercial cleaning robotics.
· 5 min read
Chinese manufacturer Pudu Robotics announced on October 13 and 14, 2026, that its PUDU BG1 series of cleaning robots had received two awards from ISSA, the global trade association for the cleaning industry. The robot first won the Robotics Award at the ISSA Asia Awards in Seoul, then took the People's Choice Award at the ISSA Excellence Awards, presented at the ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo in Melbourne on October 8-9, 2026. Both awards recognize a robot built for autonomous cleaning of large commercial and industrial sites.
Key takeaways
- The PUDU BG1 series won the Robotics Award at the 2026 ISSA Asia Awards (ISSA Show Asia, Seoul, South Korea) and the People's Choice Award at the 2026 ISSA Excellence Awards (Melbourne, Australia).
- Launched in March 2026, the BG1 is described by Pudu Robotics as an "AI-native" cleaning robot that can identify the type of dirt it encounters and automatically adjust its cleaning mode.
- According to Pudu Robotics, pre-orders for the series topped 100 million yuan within the first month on the market.
- Pudu says it has more than 130,000 robots deployed across more than 85 countries and regions, and claims the world's No. 1 position in commercial cleaning robotics according to Counterpoint Research and Frost & Sullivan.
- In 2025, another model in the lineup, the PUDU MT1, already won the People's Choice Award and the Equipment category award at the same Australian ISSA Excellence Awards.
Two ISSA awards within a month
The two honors came in quick succession. The first, the Robotics Award, was presented at ISSA Show Asia, held September 16-18, 2026, at the COEX Magok Convention Center in Seoul — the robotics category prize of the 2026 ISSA Asia Awards. The second, the People's Choice Award, was presented at the ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo, the leading trade event for the professional hygiene industry in Australia, held October 8-9, 2026, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Unlike the Seoul award, which is judged by a panel, the People's Choice Award is decided by a vote among show attendees — which Pudu Robotics frames as evidence of how the product is being received by cleaning professionals on the ground.
The press releases Pudu Robotics issued to announce both awards do not name any spokesperson; the company's statements are limited to the commercial performance figures and market rankings covered below.
An "AI-native" robot built for large sites
The PUDU BG1 series, launched in March 2026, targets large commercial and industrial sites: shopping centers, logistics warehouses, and production facilities. Pudu Robotics describes it as an "AI-native" scrubber-dryer — designed from the ground up to run on AI models rather than having them bolted onto existing hardware. In practice, the robot identifies different types of dirt and floor conditions, targets its cleaning on the areas it flags as dirty, and adjusts its cleaning settings accordingly.
Another feature the company highlights is that the BG1 handles dry debris and wet stains in a single pass, whereas many autonomous scrubbers on the market separate sweeping and washing into two distinct cycles. The robot also has an extendable scrubbing brush meant to improve cleaning along edges and corners — a zone that is traditionally hard for large cleaning robots to cover. Pudu Robotics' releases do not disclose the robot's dimensions, battery life, or tank capacity.
Pudu Robotics claims the top spot worldwide
Beyond the BG1 itself, Pudu Robotics is using these awards to reassert its position in the professional cleaning robotics market. The company cites two rankings: Counterpoint Research, which placed it first worldwide in 2025 for commercial cleaning robot shipments and revenue, and Frost & Sullivan, which ranks it the world's No. 1 commercial service robotics company by both revenue and units shipped. Pudu Robotics also says it operates more than 130,000 robots across more than 85 countries and regions, across its full product range.
The BG1 joins an already broad cleaning lineup at Pudu, which includes the CC1, SH1, ET1, and MT1 series. The company describes its product architecture as "One Brain, Multiple Embodiments," with software capabilities shared across models. The earlier win by the PUDU MT1, recognized at the same Australian ISSA Excellence Awards in 2025, suggests Pudu Robotics is building a recurring presence on this awards circuit rather than scoring a one-off win.
Frequently asked questions
What is the PUDU BG1 series?
It is a line of large autonomous scrubber-dryers launched by Pudu Robotics in March 2026, aimed at shopping centers, warehouses, and industrial sites. The manufacturer describes it as "AI-native," with automatic dirt detection and targeted cleaning.
What awards has the BG1 won, and where?
Two awards in 2026: the Robotics Award at the ISSA Asia Awards, presented at ISSA Show Asia in Seoul (September 16-18), and the People's Choice Award at the ISSA Excellence Awards, presented at the ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo in Melbourne (October 8-9).
Do cleaning robots like the BG1 replace cleaning staff?
No: this type of robot takes over repetitive surface-cleaning tasks, such as sweeping and scrubbing, freeing up time for staff to focus on higher-value work, such as quality checks or cleaning specific areas that need closer attention.
How can a company get access to this kind of robot?
Buyers typically go through a specialized integrator, which compares models from different manufacturers and supports the purchase or rental, on-site setup, and after-sales service.
What this means for your projects
For a company weighing an autonomous cleaning robot for a warehouse, a retail floor, or an industrial site, this announcement mainly illustrates how fast the available options are multiplying: several manufacturers, Pudu Robotics among them, are building increasingly specialized models for large facilities. Comparing those brands is exactly the role played by a multi-brand integrator such as Elio Robot, with no exclusive tie to any single manufacturer, so that each client is pointed toward the model best suited to its site, whether that is a logistics warehouse or a retail sales floor. The choice between buying and a 24- to 36-month rental, with insurance and replacement included, mainly depends on how often the company wants to refresh its equipment. Whichever approach is chosen, hardware support stays available across France, with most incidents resolved remotely.
Sources
A robotics project? Let's discuss it with an Elio engineer.
Book a demo