On February 5, the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government held the Provincial High-Quality Development Conference, where Midea Group Chairman Fang Hongbo shared insights on the company’s progress in the robotics industry.
Since entering the robotics field in 2015, Midea’s robotics and automation segment has surpassed ¥30 billion in revenue. The company owns brands such as KUKA and Swisslog, with products ranging from core components to complete systems, and from hardware to software, positioning Midea as one of the top four global industrial robot manufacturers.
In terms of technological innovation, Midea leverages KUKA’s technological advantages to promote Sino-German team collaboration and technology integration. In 2022, Midea received approval to establish a “National Key Laboratory” and is developing a leading global heavy-duty robotics laboratory cluster.
On the localization front, Midea’s KUKA Smart Manufacturing Technology Park in Shunde, Foshan, is the largest industrial robot production base in China. The park has delivered over 80,000 robots and is home to Guangdong’s first fully automated “robot production robots” production line, which produces a robot every 30 minutes.
Focusing on the domestic market, Midea offers flexible automation solutions across multiple industries, becoming the largest robot manufacturer in terms of product load coverage. Through supply chain localization, Midea has developed high-cost-performance products.
As a key “chain leader” in Guangdong’s robotics industry, Midea is promoting industrial chain clustering. The supply chain rate at Midea’s KUKA Smart Manufacturing Technology Park exceeds 85%, forming a robust industrial ecosystem.
Fang Hongbo also mentioned that Midea’s revenue exceeded ¥400 billion in 2024. Looking ahead to 2025, Midea will continue to strengthen its presence in Guangdong, supporting the upgrade and transformation of local manufacturing.
