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Harmonic Drive Systems vs maxon
Harmonic Drive Systems and maxon are both robotics core components companies. Their verified profiles differ on headquarters and product lines. The table below sets out only those rows; everything else is on each company's own profile. Facts verified 6 November 2026.
Where they differ
| Company | Harmonic Drive Systems | maxon |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan (Shinagawa-ku) | Sachseln, canton of Obwalden, Switzerland |
| Product lines | HarmonicDrive strain wave gearing and rotary and integrated actuators | brushed and brushless DC motors (DCX, ECX, EC-i), gearheads and EPOS controllers |
Market context: Japan
Industrial robot installations, 2025: 36,219 (-19% year on year). This counts industrial robots installed in Japan during the year, whichever country the supplier comes from; it describes the destination market and is not a figure about Harmonic Drive Systems.
Source: International Federation of Robotics (IFR), World Robotics 2026, released 24 September 2026.
How Harmonic Drive Systems and maxon differ
Harmonic Drive Systems, headquartered in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, starts from the gear: HarmonicDrive strain wave gearing and rotary and integrated actuators, built into industrial robots and semiconductor equipment. maxon, headquartered in Sachseln in the canton of Obwalden, Switzerland, starts from the motor: brushed and brushless DC motors in the DCX, ECX and EC-i lines, with gearheads and EPOS controllers around them. Ownership separates them too — maxon, founded in 1961, is privately held and family-owned with around 3,200 employees, while Harmonic Drive Systems is Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed and reported 1,145 employees as of March 31, 2022. Their corporate structures pull apart as well: the Tokyo company operates through group companies and offices at home and abroad, among them its wholly owned German subsidiary Harmonic Drive SE, while maxon grew out of Interelectric AG and is still held by the Braun family. Sector reach widens the gap: maxon names medical, industrial automation, aerospace, mobility and robotics as its core sectors, so its motors and controllers are bought across device programmes far beyond robot joints, whereas the gearing specialist sells one component family into many different machines.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Harmonic Drive Systems and maxon?
Harmonic Drive Systems is based in Tokyo, Japan (Shinagawa-ku) and maxon in Sachseln, canton of Obwalden, Switzerland; they also differ on product lines. The table above sets out both companies' entries row by row.
Are Harmonic Drive Systems and maxon in the same country?
No. Harmonic Drive Systems is based in Tokyo, Japan and maxon in Sachseln, canton of Obwalden, Switzerland.
Can I source from both companies?
Yes. Harmonic Drive Systems can be reached through hds.co.jp and maxon through maxongroup.com, or post one sourcing request and let both answer if they fit.
Is one of these two companies placed higher by GlobleMatch?
No. There is no pay-to-rank and no paid placement in comparisons; order and content come from verified profile facts only.
Run Harmonic Drive Systems or maxon? Claim your free profile to keep your facts current.
Full profiles, with every fact and its source: Harmonic Drive Systems and maxon. Profile facts last verified: Harmonic Drive Systems on 6 November 2026, maxon on 6 November 2026.