Latest news with #Kuka
South China Morning Post
20-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Chinese investments in Europe have increased for first time since 2016
China's investments in Europe rose in 2024 for the first time in nine years, with Hungary reaffirming its position as the region's leading hub for Chinese capital. The investments shot up 47 per cent from a year earlier, to €10 billion (US$11.23 billion), according to a new joint report from the Mercator Institute for China Studies and Rhodium Group, two research houses. It marked the first rise since 2016, the year in which European governments' serious concerns over Chinese investments first emerged. The purchase of Kuka, a German manufacturer of industrial robots and factory automation systems, by Chinese appliance maker Midea Group stoked fears that Beijing was hoovering up Europe's critical technology companies. The subsequent nine years saw a significant cooling in investment, as the EU implemented a foreign direct investment screening mechanism designed to protect its crown jewels. While things are picking up again amid Chinese companies being frozen out of other markets – notably the US – they are still well below the rates seen before 2017. The report found that 53.2 per cent of China's investments in high-income economies flowed into Europe, with the EU and Britain accounting for 19.1 per cent of all foreign direct investment from the country – the first meaningful hike since 2018. Hungary is seen as China's closest partner in Europe. Photo: Shutterstock Greenfield investments in Europe – meaning Chinese companies launching new ventures by constructing new operational facilities from the ground up – rose 21 per cent compared to 2023, the third straight annual increase. Mergers and acquisitions, meanwhile, jumped 114 per cent to €4.1 billion, although this came from a very low base.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CIFF Guangzhou 2025. Living innovations lead the way at Home Furniture exhibition
After the remarkable success of previous editions, CIFF Guangzhou is set to showcase its most comprehensive home furniture exhibition to date in March 2025, transforming the Canton Fair Complex into a global hub for furniture innovation and design, with an unprecedented display of living solutions for the future. GUANGZHOU, China, Feb. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Home Furniture exhibition, scheduled for March 18-21 during the 1st phase of the 55th CIFF Guangzhou 2025, presents a comprehensive showcase of modern living solutions. From the Sofa & Bed section, where comfort meets cutting-edge design, to the innovative Dining & Living sector showcasing the latest trends, each area has been meticulously curated to address contemporary living demands. The International Pavilion, spanning 30,000 squares with more than 100 manufacturers, further enriches the exhibition by celebrating diverse cultural influences and global design perspectives. The CIFF Modern Design Expo stands as a pivotal showcase of innovation, covering over 50,000 square meters across Halls 1.1-5.1 in Zone A of the Canton Fair Complex. In a dynamic celebration of creativity, the expo unites 60 commercial design brands, 40 international design brands and studios, 100 design ecosystem institutions, and more than 200 designers. Seven meticulously curated exhibition areas - East Design Show, CMF Trends LAB, Aesthetic Exhibition of Intangible Cultural Heritage Skills, Green East, DESIGN UNITED, DESIGN DIMSUM, and DESIGN EXPORT - create a comprehensive platform where traditional craftsmanship meets contemporary innovation. This collaborative environment marks a significant evolution from "Made in China" to "Designed in China," fostering innovation and accelerating global market expansion while offering visitors a rich tapestry of international design perspectives. The Sofa area emerges as a benchmark of the exhibition, occupying an impressive 130,000 square meters and featuring nearly 330 domestic and international brands, including industry leaders such as Kuka, MANWAH, HTL, and other prestigious brands. A unique "Sofa Plus" will create an S-shaped journey through Halls 9.3-11.3, offering visitors an immersive experience of global sofa innovations. The Sleep exhibition area takes center stage with 40,000 square meters of exhibition space and 130 exhibitors, emphasizing the integration of smart technology and health-focused innovations. A dedicated 10,000-square-meter smart sleep zone will showcase cutting-edge products including smart mattresses, intelligent beds, monitoring systems, and advanced sleep technology solutions, highlighting the industry's commitment to wellness and comfort. The Dining and Living Room exhibition spans an impressive 120,000 square meters, featuring more than 750 manufacturers across specialized zones. The dedicated Dining Room Design Hall in E1 and Living Room Design Hall in 15.2 showcase the latest innovations in residential spaces, while a groundbreaking cross-border e-commerce zone in Hall 14.1 serves as a strategic platform for international trade bringing together leading global platforms including Amazon, eBay, TikTok, Temu, Shein, and Wayfair, presenting products specifically optimized for online retail and facilitating direct connections between manufacturers and digital marketplaces. CIFF Guangzhou's global reach is demonstrated through its attraction of more than 380,000 professional visitors from over 200 countries and regions. As part of the larger CIFF Guangzhou 2025, which includes a second phase (March 28-31 for Office and Commercial Space sectors), the event continues to strengthen its position as the world's premier furniture exhibition platform. Preparations are underway to welcome visitors from all over the world; free preregistration is available on the website where visitors can find all the necessary information to plan their trip to Guangzhou. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE China International Furniture Fair (Guangzhou) Sign in to access your portfolio
South China Morning Post
27-01-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Chinese robotics start-up pushes large cleaning robots in Hong Kong, Macau
Published: 5:40pm, 27 Jan 2025 Chinese start-up Suzhou Intelligence Technology, a maker of large cleaning robots for commercial properties, is eyeing Hong Kong and Macau as key new markets for its products, founder and chief executive Kong Bing said. Kong, who previously worked at Swedish-Swiss electrical engineering firm ABB and German industrial robot maker Kuka , said his company's products under the Partner Robot brand are used on special surfaces such as marble and granite. 'Hong Kong and Macau are definitely key markets for us [to expand operations],' Kong told the South China Morning Post on the sidelines of the China Conference: Greater Bay Area 2025 – a two-day event held in Guangzhou , capital of southern Guangdong province, earlier this month. 'Given high labour costs and requirements for hygiene, [the two markets] are perfectly suitable for the promotion of our robots,' he added. Compared to household robot vacuum cleaners from the likes of iRobot and Roborock , products from Suzhou Intelligence Technology are bigger in size and used at large commercial establishments such as shopping centres and airports. Commercial-grade cleaning robots are harder to obtain because these have not been widely adopted, according to Kong. As such, these products offer more growth potential, he said. 'The target users of household cleaning robots are very clear. One can simply market it as a housewarming gift or a gift for the elderly,' Kong said. 'It's much more complicated to persuade commercial property management companies to buy a cleaning robot, which has to involve many stakeholders in these firms.'
