Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

china

Record sales of industrial robots in China reported

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Chinese companies bought a record number of robots in 2017, according to the country’s main robotics association, as reported on the Sputnik website. 

Sputnik, which is a media outlet of the formerly communist country of Russia, says China purchased 141,000 industrial robots in 2017, which is an increase of 58 per cent compared with 2016.

Foreign industrial robot makers accounted for nearly three-quarters of the sales figure, but an increasing number of Chinese robot makers are emerging.  [Read more…] about Record sales of industrial robots in China reported

JOT Automation’s capital stock sold to Victory Precision

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JOT Automation has sold its capital stock sold to Victory Precision. The companies say this is a sign of their further development heading towards globalization, and prepares for the next “quantum leap”. 

Suzhou Victory Precision Manufacture Company, headquartered in Suzhou, China, purchased the entire capital stock of JOT Automation, with Finnish family company Head Invest as the main seller.

According to Petri Halonen, JOT Automation CEO, the additional engineering and production resources provided by Victory Precision will significantly help JOT to pursue the opportunities of the fast-developing market and modern technologies.  [Read more…] about JOT Automation’s capital stock sold to Victory Precision

Opinion: Chinese automakers are better off innovating in electric and autonomous technology

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It could be time for international carmakers to consider changing partners in China. While the Chinese government has encouraged partnerships in the hope that local companies will learn and become global, new electric and autonomous technologies seem to offer better opportunities. Article by Edward Tse, Gao Feng Advisory

On April 17th China’s National Development and Reform Commission announced the elimination of foreign equity restrictions on special-purpose vehicles and new energy vehicles in 2018, on commercial vehicles in 2020 and on passenger vehicles in 2022.

In addition to the opportunity to own their own manufacturing ventures, foreign automakers are no longer restricted to having only two joint ventures in China.

The 50:50 joint venture equity rule dates back to 1994. The government hoped a domestic industry would emerge whereby the Chinese domestic companies would learn from their partners and eventually emerge as successful global automakers in their own right.  [Read more…] about Opinion: Chinese automakers are better off innovating in electric and autonomous technology

Belt & Road: Much more than a revival of the ancient Silk Road

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A huge amount has been written already about the so-called Belt and Road initiative or project, but it looks like this is just the beginning. 

On the face of it, the Belt and Road refers to a plan to create a logistics network that brings together Europe and Asia with road, rail, and sea routes.

It’s an idea China came up with, and its leaders have made enthusiastic pronouncements about it, even though the project will cost an estimated $1 trillion over the next decade or two. But it’s an open-ended, complex project, so such estimates could just be Communist Chinese propaganda.  [Read more…] about Belt & Road: Much more than a revival of the ancient Silk Road

Belt and Road: Siemens partners with Chinese companies on giant Eurasian transportation network

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Siemens has entered into more than 10 agreements with Chinese partners relating to opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative, which is a plan to build a giant transport network linking Asia to Europe.

A recent conference called the Belt and Road International Summit, held by Siemens, brought together more than 1,000 leaders and executive representatives from governments, enterprises, investors, financing institutions and think tanks from more than 30 countries and regions.  [Read more…] about Belt and Road: Siemens partners with Chinese companies on giant Eurasian transportation network

Shenyang city looking to attract top talent with ‘massive subsidies’ for starting business

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Shenyang, a city in northeastern China, is opening its arms wider to talents both at home and abroad.

The local government Communist Chinese municipality says it is looking attract “top talent with massive subsidies”.

On April 22, 2018, it announced an upgraded package of incentives in addition to a series of preferential policies introduced last year, including granting a maximum subsidy of 10 million yuan ($1.6 million) to top talents and “zero threshold” for graduates from Chinese and foreign universities to settle down in the city.  [Read more…] about Shenyang city looking to attract top talent with ‘massive subsidies’ for starting business

From zero to infinity: Exclusive interview with Geek Plus boss

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Exclusive interview with Lit Fung, Geek Plus Robotics general manager in Hong Kong

It’s probably safe to say that the vast majority of warehouses in the world operate in the traditional way, manually, with some automated technology, such as forklift trucks and conveyors. 

A small but growing proportion are either fully or partially roboticised.

Some might not need it, but in most cases, bringing in the robots and introducing the latest computer technologies would very likely lead to increases in efficiency and production.  [Read more…] about From zero to infinity: Exclusive interview with Geek Plus boss

Markets and politics contributing to the rise of Chinese robotics companies

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Commercial opportunities and government directives are coalescing to create a vibrant robotics and automation industry in China, according to a new report by ABI Research

Historically, the industrial robotics space has traditionally been dominated by Japanese and European vendors, while the commercial robotics has been the stronghold of robot startups from the United States and Europe.

However, recent developments suggest that Chinese vendors are staking a claim in the robotics territory, says ABI Research, a market research and advisory company.

Lian Jye Su, principal analyst at ABI Research, says: “The top four Chinese industrial robotics vendors reported a topline growth of 20 per cent year-on-year in 2016 and a similar figure is expected for next few years.  [Read more…] about Markets and politics contributing to the rise of Chinese robotics companies

Kuka expands China business

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Kuka is to combine its Chinese general industry business and the Chinese Swisslog business by setting up joint ventures with Midea Group companies. The respective shareholders of the joint venture companies will each have a stake of 50%.

The Robotics joint venture will be controlled by Kuka and the Chinese automotive business will fully remain with Kuka.

These joint ventures will significantly increase market penetration in China and expand Kuka’s Chinese business.

[Read more…] about Kuka expands China business

Infineon and SAIC set up joint venture for China electric car market

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SAIC Motor and Infineon Technologies are establishing a joint venture to manufacture power modules for the dynamically developing electric vehicle market in China.

SAIC Motor holds a stake of 51 percent of the JV, SIAPM (SAIC Infineon Automotive Power Modules (Shanghai) Co, Ltd., and Infineon 49 percent, respectively.

Headquartered in Shanghai; its new manufacturing facility is in Infineon’s site expansion in Wuxi. Volume production is scheduled to start in the second half of 2018.

[Read more…] about Infineon and SAIC set up joint venture for China electric car market