Magna International

About Magna International

Magna International is one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers, designing and manufacturing vehicle systems, components, and complete vehicles for leading global automakers. Headquartered in Canada, the company operates hundreds of engineering, manufacturing, and product development facilities across more than two dozen countries, making it a cornerstone of the global automotive supply chain. Magna is also emerging as a key industrial partner in humanoid robotics through its strategic collaboration with Sanctuary AI. The company is piloting Phoenix humanoid robots within its own manufacturing operations while serving as the contract manufacturer for the platform. This dual role provides Magna with a unique position as both an early commercial adopter and a large-scale manufacturing partner for next-generation humanoid robots.

Magna International History

Magna was founded in 1957 by Frank Stronach, an Austrian immigrant, with $300 borrowed and a rented Toronto garage. His first contract: metal sun visor brackets for General Motors in 1959. Taken public in 1969, renamed Magna International in 1973.

Magna Technology Investments participated in Sanctuary AI's $75.5 million Series A in March 2022. This created a three-fold relationship: investor, contract manufacturer, and end user.

In April 2024, Sanctuary's Phoenix began pilot testing in Magna manufacturing facilities. Magna's role extends to serving as contract manufacturer for Phoenix production at scale.

Magna already manufactures complete vehicles for Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, and BMW at its Graz facility. Applying this expertise to humanoid robots positions it at the intersection of automotive manufacturing and Physical AI.