After 35 years, the maker of the Roomba robot vacuum filed for bankruptcy protection late Sunday. After warnings earlier this year that it was rapidly running out of options, iRobot says it is entering Chapter 11 protection and will be acquired by its contract manufacturer, Chinese-based Picea Robotics.
The company says it will continue to operate “without any expected disruption to its app functionality, customer programs, global partners, supply chain relationships, or ongoing product support.” This should mean that, at least for now, your Roomba will continue cleaning your floors just like it used to.
The Massachusetts-based company has struggled for years amid increasing competition from Chinese manufacturers. One of the early pioneers of home robotics, iRobot was founded in 1990 and launched its first Roomba robot vacuum in 2002.
More than two decades later, while iRobot is the Kleenex of the robot vacuum space, its market share has slipped significantly to companies like Ecovacs and Roborock. An acquisition by Amazon in 2022 was expected to reverse the company’s declining fortunes, but the deal fell apart under regulatory scrutiny.
Since then, iRobot has revamped its product line and cut prices to better compete with rivals, and has worked with Picea Robotics to develop new Roombas. But its revenue continues to decline. Reuters reports that US tariffs have hit the company hard, particularly 46 percent in Vietnam, where it makes robot vacuums for the US.
“Today’s announcement is an important milestone in securing the long-term future of iRobot,” said Gary Cohen, CEO of iRobot. “The transaction will strengthen our financial position and help provide continuity for our consumers, customers and partners.”
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