Rob Smith, CEO of KION Group, a subsidiary of Shandong Heavy Industry Group, spoke with Xinhua News Agency about KION's successful development in China, his views on China's high-quality development and the application of artificial intelligence in KION after the Company released its 2024 financial results recently.
Frankfurt (Xinhua), March 5 : Rob Smith, CEO of KION Group, a leading German provider of intralogistics solutions, said China's innovation and development is very "admirable" and its high-quality development strategy will unleash greater potential.
As the world's largest material handling market, China has been a "home market" with strong growth for the Group, Rob Smith told Xinhua News Agency.
For KION Group, China has become an increasingly important innovation center, and its rapid development has enabled the company to apply the latest research and development technologies to other markets around the world, Smith said.
Smith is confident about KION's future in China and stressed that the shift to quality-driven growth means advanced technology, innovation and sustainability, which are key elements of KION's strategy.
"As such, we see that China's commitment to high-quality development fits well with KION Group's growth plans," Smith said.
As Europe's largest manufacturer of industrial forklifts, the world's second largest forklift manufacturer and a leading supplier of warehouse automation, KION Group owns several forklift brands, including Linde Material Handling and Baoli.
Smith said KION has been continuously investing in China for more than 30 years and has built a strong business with six factories across the country.
"We have been expanding our capacity because it is a dynamic market," he said. Meanwhile, he is particularly excited about the application of AI in the Chinese market and its rapid expansion across the country.
Smith said KION has integrated AI into its warehouse and automation solutions and is actively promoting it in the Chinese market. "We see this as a great opportunity" .
Smith cited the application of "digital twin" - a virtual representation of a physical object, system or process that is constantly updated with real-time data for simulation, monitoring and optimization. The technology has been used to improve the operations of physical warehouses in China, he added.