At the invitation of KUKA Robotics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., on the afternoon of May 19, 2016, organized by CNGBS General Manager Shen Xiaopeng, a delegation of 45 entrepreneurs visited Songjiang to research world-renowned enterprises including KUKA Robotics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. The delegation consisted of members from the chamber of commerce's youth federation, elite figures from the Shaoyang business community in the automation field, and representatives from the Hunan business manufacturing sector in Shanghai. The visit was led by Zhang Bin, Executive Vice President of the Shanghai Shaoyang Chamber of Commerce; Yang Dazhi, Vice President; and Shen Xiaopeng, Council Member.
This activity aimed to achieve several objectives through learning and exchange centered on cutting-edge high-tech manufacturing: first, to deepen understanding of automation industry trends, market capacity expansion indices, the development trajectory of high and new technologies, and modern enterprise scientific management; second, to connect advantageous resources and link information for the Hunan business manufacturing sector in Shanghai; third, to achieve collaboration and product enhancement for Shanghai's distinctive Hunan business manufacturing sector through the integration of big database resources. Thanks are extended to the China Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics Alliance and the Shanghai Suining Chamber of Commerce for their strong assistance in organizing this event, as well as to the Shanghai Changde Chamber of Commerce, the Donghua University Robotics Institute, and Shanghai Xingjian Polytechnic for their support and enthusiastic participation.
KUKA is one of the world's top four manufacturers of industrial robots. Shanghai KUKA is a wholly-owned subsidiary established in China by the German KUKA company in 2000. KUKA produces over 10,000 industrial robots annually and has installed a total of 150,000 industrial robots worldwide to date. KUKA robots are widely used across industries including instrumentation, automotive, aerospace, consumer products, logistics, food, pharmaceuticals, medicine, foundry, and plastics. Their primary applications lie in material handling, machine tool loading, assembly, packaging, palletizing, welding, surface finishing, and other areas.
The event commenced with Manager Shi Ruizhi of KUKA Shanghai delivering a welcome speech on behalf of KUKA, providing a detailed introduction to KUKA's development and the application advantages of its products across various work scenarios. Manager Shi stated that with the latest members of the KUKA robot family—the LBR iiwa lightweight robot and the Sunrise controller—direct collaboration between humans and robots has been realized. Today, KUKA is going a step further to offer customers products truly "prepared for Industry 4.0." Subsequently, Manager Shi led the youth federation members on a tour of KUKA's technology-filled R&D center, production base, and corporate training facilities. Manager Shi emphasized that close cooperation with machine manufacturers, system partners, and innovative end-users across various industries is the cornerstone of KUKA's success, expressing KUKA's anticipation for more exchange and cooperation opportunities with Shaoyang businesses. The visiting members showed great interest in the future trends of the technological development fields KUKA operates in and gained a clearer impression of the prospects for Industry 4.0 development following the tour.
After departing KUKA, the youth federation delegation proceeded to conduct research at Jikang Screw Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., an outstanding enterprise of the Shanghai Changde Chamber of Commerce. Led by General Manager Xiao of Jikang, the members toured the company's modern production workshop. In the fourth-floor conference room, General Manager Xiao provided a detailed introduction to the company's advanced philosophy and positive development momentum. Jikang has gathered and cultivated a core team with broad vision, strong dedication, and excellent professional skills. It has introduced advanced German and Japanese manufacturing technologies and design concepts, positioning itself at the forefront of domestic research and development for injection molding machine screws and barrels.
Following this, a "Hunan Business Manufacturing Industry Symposium" was held in the Jikang conference room. Attendees shared learning experiences, introduced company developments, discussed industry trends, and sought solutions to market challenges. There was a consensus that Hunan businesses should adopt a pragmatic approach to collaboration, actively seek external learning opportunities, establish partnerships with high-tech enterprises, tap into technological resources, enhance the technological content of their products, and secure a foothold in cutting-edge competitive markets. Hunan and Shaoyang businesses should make preparations in advance for the arrival of the future Industry 4.0 era.
