2 min

KION invests in ZIKOO to drive AI Warehouse Automation

As supply chains continue to evolve, warehouses are becoming smarter, faster, and more automated. To meet this transformation head-on, KION has recently made a strategic equity investment in ZIKOO Robotics, a leading provider of pallet storage robotics based in Nanjing, China. The partnership marks a significant step in KION's journey to build a broader ecosystem of automated technology partners and to further strengthen its position in the growing global automation market.

2026-05-06

Xiuzhen Wang

A Partnership Built on Complementary Strengths

Through this investment, KION and ZIKOO will work closely across key areas such as high-density pallet storage systems, warehouse robotics, and intelligent warehouse software platforms. Together, they combine KION’s deep expertise in industrial trucks, intralogistics solutions, and system integration with ZIKOO’s innovative robotics and high-density storage technologies.

The partnership creates a broader and more powerful portfolio of automated warehouse solutions — delivering higher efficiency, better space utilization, and greater operational flexibility for customers worldwide.

By partnering with ZIKOO, we are significantly enhancing our capabilities in pallet-level automation and robotics.Through this collaboration, we are able to further integrate robotics and control systems, improving the efficiency, stability, and scalability of our automated warehouse solutions.

Ching Pong Quek, KION Executive Board Member, Chief Technology Officer, and President of KION ITS APAC.

An overview of ZIKOO´s smart products

According to Gunter Van Deun, KION's Director of Partnering Strategy, the partnership is built on agility, innovation, and cost efficiency. "We are validating ZIKOO's solution in China and will then scale it globally through KION's regulatory and market expertise as well as our global footprint," he explains. "The result is a model where our success is shared, and ZIKOO becomes a powerful complement to the expanding KION ecosystem."

For ZIKOO, the partnership marks an important step in its global growth journey. “This is a historic moment for ZIKOO,” said Cai Chuanyu, Founder and CEO of ZIKOO Robotics. “This partnership will enable us to combine our strengths to unlock new market opportunities in China and beyond.”

Joint Launch of the AI Smart Warehouse

Coinciding with the investment, KION´s brand company Linde Material Handling (China) and ZIKOO jointly unveiled the AI Smart Warehouse — a next-generation pallet warehouse solution. The solution integrates ZIKOO’s latest pallet-handling robots, high-speed lifting technologies, and intelligent software.

Powered by AI algorithms, the AI Smart Warehouse periodically analyzes and dynamically optimizes inventory layouts, travel paths, and equipment resources. This enables intelligent orchestration of multiple robots and workflows, significantly improving inbound and outbound performance. Compared to traditional automated solutions, it increases storage space utilization by around 30 percent, while delivering substantial efficiency gains. Its modular design also allows customers to expand flexibly as their operational needs grow.

“As customer demand for space-efficient and high-performance warehouses continues to rise, high-density automated storage solutions are becoming increasingly important,” said Ching Pong Quek. “By combining ZIKOO’s robotics innovation with KION’s strengths in system integration, project execution, and service, our customers gain a powerful solution for automating complex warehouse operations.”

Q&A

Who is ZIKOO Robotics and what does the company do?

Founded in 2017, ZIKOO Robotics is an innovation-driven provider of high-density pallet storage robotics and warehouse automation solutions, based in Nanjing, China.

Why did KION decide to invest in ZIKOO Robotics?

KION invested in ZIKOO to strengthen its capabilities in high-density pallet automation and robotics and to accelerate innovation in AI-driven warehouse solutions.

What makes ZIKOO a strong strategic partner for KION?

ZIKOO brings proven expertise in high-density pallet storage robotics and advanced robotic systems, supported by extensive project experience across multiple industries.

How does this investment support KION’s long-term automation strategy?

The investment supports KION’s long-term strategy to build a strong ecosystem of automation technology partners and to expand its end-to-end portfolio of intelligent, scalable AI-driven warehouse automation solutions.

How does this partnership strengthen KION’s position in the global automation market?

By combining KION´s global reach, system integration expertise and customer service capabilities with ZIKOO´s robotics innovation, KION enhances its competitiveness in the growing global warehouse automation market.

What benefits does this partnership deliver to KION customers?

KION customers benefit from advanced automated warehouse solutions that offer higher efficiency, improved space utilization, and flexible scalability to support future growth.