KUKA cut the ribbon at their new factory outside of Shanghai. The factory will begin employing 350 and produce the QUANTEC line of robots and controllers and will be able to produce 3,000 robots and controllers annually. Although KUKA has had sales and service facilities in China for the past 9 years, this is the first manufacturing factory.

Manfred Gundel, KUKA Chairman of the Board said: “We are pleased to be strengthening our presence in the Shanghai region and in the local automotive cluster.” Till Reuter, KUKA CEO, said: “We are expanding our capacity in Shanghai to better serve our customers in Asia.”

To kick off the launch, KUKA announced orders for 1,375 robots from Chinese auto industry clients. China Automative Review said auto production in China is likely to hit 20 million vehicles this year and 35 million vehicles by 2020.