# Kuka is reportedly shifting its focus toward Asia and the US.

*robotics · news · 2026-04-09 · Times of India*

## Key points

- Kuka is shifting investment focus to Asia and the US, away from Europe.
- Kuka cites slow AI and automation adoption among European manufacturers as a key reason.
- Kuka's new platform integrates hardware, software, and AI for manufacturing processes.
- US manufacturing growth is aided by import tariffs, attracting investment from robotics firms.
- Kuka's CEO observes that competition in Europe is driving down margins in robotics.

Representative Image European robotics maker Kuka is reportedly shifting its focus toward Asia and the US. This shift comes as the company, which is one of the largest industrial robot makers, is unhappy with the pace of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in Europe. The company said many industrial companies in the region are slow to modernise, relying on legacy systems and gradual upgrades, which could affect their ability to compete with global peers. In an interview with Bloomberg, Kuka CEO Christoph Schell said that this trend is particularly visible in Germany. Referring to the widening gap in digitisation and automation, Schell said, “In Germany, a lot of companies still believe this is just a temporary thing, we’re going to come back out of this, in particular in automotive. The problem is that many competing products are not only cheaper but also better. Kuka CEO Christoph Schell: ‘The problem in Europe is…’ “The problem in Europe is there are so many companies that are fighting right now for fewer opportunities. It’s almost like who is more desperate today? Who is willing to lose 20%, 30% gross margin?” Schell told Bloomberg. Kuka, which counts European automakers such as BMW AG and Stellantis NV among its key customers, is operating in a region where demand has remained subdued since the pandemic. The company is now exploring investment opportunities in other markets, the German-born executive said. Schell noted that the US is attracting more investment due to import tariffs that are encouraging domestic manufacturing. He added that markets such as China, India and Southeast Asia are seeing growth driven by technology adoption and infrastructure development. Kuka, which was acquired by China’s Midea Group Co in 2016, also provides industrial robots to companies including Volkswagen AG and Airbus SE for production line operations. The acquisition of the Augsburg-based company, which earns approximately €3.9 billion ($4.5 billion) in annual revenue, sparked discussions in Germany about the influx of foreign investment into key industries. After the acquisition, the German government increased its scrutiny of technology-related acquisitions, including those related to robotics. Starting out as a manufacturer of mechanical devices, Kuka has ventured into software engineering and artificial intelligence development while continuing to manufacture industrial robots used in factories. Some of its rivals are ABB Robotics and Japanese Yaskawa Electric Corporation. The company recently introduced a platform aimed at linking “hardware-defined, software-defined, and AI-defined” manufacturing, Schell added. Germany’s economy has also been dealing with a prolonged period of weak growth, the report added. While recent public spending plans on defence and infrastructure showed early signs of improvement, the situation has been affected by the recent Middle East conflict. Export-oriented industries such as automotive, machinery, and chemicals, including BASF SE, continue to face challenges from high energy and labour costs. End of Article Latest Mobiles View All Vivo Y05 View Specs Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 SE 5G ₹21,999 View Specs iQOO 15 Apex ₹72,999 View Specs Xiaomi Redmi 15A 5G View Specs Tecno Spark 50 View Specs Vivo Y11 5G ₹14,999 View Specs Vivo Y21 5G ₹18,999 View Specs Samsung Galaxy A57 ₹56,999 View Specs OnePlus Nord 6 View Specs Itel A100C View Specs Samsung Galaxy A07 5G ₹13,192 View Specs Itel A100 View Specs Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus ₹36,990 View Specs Lava Bold N2 ₹8,199 View Specs

**Companies:** BMW AG, Stellantis NV, Volkswagen AG, Airbus SE, Kuka, Midea Group Co
**Countries:** Germany, China, United States, India, Southeast Asia

[Read the full story on Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/unhappy-with-europes-ai-adoption-speed-robotics-maker-kuka-to-focus-on-asia-and-us-says-in-germany-a-lot-of-companies-still-believe-this-is-/articleshow/130139199.cms)

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