Kuka’s auto business has fallen from 80% of robot revenues, when he took over the company in 2009, to around 50% today, Reuter notes. “China will become even more important.”Read more about China’s bid to move up the manufacturing value chain. Kuka however, is hardly alone in vying for the US$11bil (RM44.8bil) China market. Meanwhile, local rivals like E-Deodar Robot Equipment Co., Anhui Efort Intelligent Equipment Co., and Siasun Robot & Automation Co., sell their robots for about one-third the cost of foreign brands. A cost-cutting war and shakeout is possible, as China’s hundreds of new local robot makers start to vie for market share.

Source: The Star December 26, 2017 06:33 UTC