KION upgrades its APAC Automation Center of Excellence

In mid-May, KION Group held a ceremony in its ITS Asia-Pacific Headquarters in Xiamen, China, to upgrade its APAC Automation Center of Excellence. The ceremony was attended by Ching Pong Quek, KION Group Board Member, CTO, and President of ITS APAC; De’an Xie, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Product Management at KION ITS APAC; Carsten Harnisch, Senior Vice President KION Robotic Systems and Xinqing Zheng, Senior Director Mobile Robotics and Intralogistics at KION ITS APAC.

Customer and distributor representatives of KION´s brand company Linde Material Handling (China) also joined the ceremony, which underscored KION Group’s long-term commitment to the Asia-Pacific market and Linde MH (China)’s dedication to delivering smarter logistics solutions for customers in Asia-Pacific region.

Following the upgrade, the center will ramp up investments in R&D, manufacturing, delivery, software, and services while broadening its product portfolio. Its service coverage will also expand from China to the wider Asia-Pacific market.

Strengthening Commitment to Automation to Lead Industry Transformation

In his keynote speech, Ching Pong Quek emphasized KION Group’s mission: "KION is the supply chain solutions company. Our people´s passion is innovating, automating, and orchestrating solutions for our customers´ supply chains. China has made remarkable strides in logistics automation, and we are confident in its continued growth."

As a global leader in intralogistics automation, KION’s brand Linde Material Handling pioneered mobile robotics over 50 years ago, launching the world’s first Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV). Today, Linde MH has successfully deployed over 1,200 automation projects worldwide, operating more than 10,000 mobile robots and automated systems. In 2024, KION Group further strengthened its technological edge through strategic partnerships with NVIDIA and Accenture, exploring AI-driven innovations for the supply chain industry.

Meeting Local Demand with Intelligent Product Ecosystems

The upgraded Automation Center of Excellence will focus on developing tailored logistics automation solutions for diverse customer needs while fostering closer collaboration with ecosystem partners.

Quek added: "By integrating cutting-edge AI, machine learning, and industry expertise, we aim to equip material handling systems with real-time detection and autonomous decision-making capabilities. This will drive the industry toward more efficient, intelligent, and sustainable solutions—ushering in a new era of material handling."

Forging Strategic Partnerships and Introducing Next-Gen Robotics

During the ceremony, Linde MH (China) signed strategic agreements with several Chinese automation distributors. De’an Xie highlighted: "Automation thrives on collaborative innovation across the industrial chain. Our distributors are not just business partners—they play a pivotal role in advancing the industry."

Linde MH (China) also unveiled its new line of handling robots during the event. These products are designed to boost warehouse efficiency by up to 40%, enhance production line flexibility, and significantly improve system scalability and accessibility.

Xinqing Zheng concluded: "Moving forward, we will further leverage our ‘German technology, Chinese innovation’ dual-operation model to deliver smarter, more efficient logistics solutions across the Asia-Pacific region."

With the upgrade of the Asia-Pacific Automation Center, KION Group is poised to accelerate intelligent logistics adoption in the region, reinforcing its leadership in efficiency, intelligence, and sustainability.