A Milestone Forged in Partnership

With the delivery of its 50,000th forklift, KION has reaffirmed the strategic importance of its ITS plant in Jinan as an integral part of the Group’s global production network. Marking the occasion were Ching Pong Quek, member of the KION Executive Board, Chief Technology Officer and President of KION ITS APAC, KION´s local management team, and a key long-term partner and customer: Wang Mingyao, Chairman of Jinan Shengshi Yangguang.

At the center of the celebration was the milestone forklift – an electric counterbalance truck from the KION brand Linde Material Handling. It stands as a prime example of the shared commitment to advancing high-quality intralogistics solutions.

The journey to 50,000th forklift is a story of continuous development. Since its establishment, the ITS plant in Jinan has navigated global supply challenges and rapid scaling, anchored by a non-negotiable commitment: unified German quality standards and lean manufacturing principles in every process.

What began as a mission to ensure swift delivery has evolved. Today, the plant is a hub of excellence with its products trusted in markets worldwide. It has matured into a reliable source of stable, high-quality equipment, becoming a pivotal engine for KION’s growth in China and a strategic pillar strengthening our global supply chain.

“This achievement belongs to the relentless KION ITS Jinan team and our incredible supply chain partners,” stressed Ching Pong Quek at the event. “It validates our localization strategy and builds a solid foundation for future partnerships defined by mutual success.”

The ceremony transcended a typical delivery. It highlighted KION’s strategic vision of deeply integrated collaboration. As a long-term partner and customer, Wang Mingyao shared how the close cooperation has sustainably elevated his own company’s own management and product quality. At the same time, he reaffirmed the shared goal of ensuring reliable supply, short delivery time, and consistently high quality through geographic proximity and aligned processes.

As a visible symbol of this partnership, Ching Pong Quek presented Wang Mingyao with the key to the 50,000th forklift and a gold-plated commemorative model. This gesture signified the profound trust and collaborative spirit between the two companies.

This is the model KION is building: an integrated manufacturer-supplier cooperation. By deepening collaboration with key partners, KION is creating a resilient and efficient supply ecosystem. For end customers, this translates into promptness, stability, and quality.

The 50,000th unit is not a finish line, but rather the beginning of a new chapter. The focus at the ITS plant in Jian is now on further enhancing quality and speed.

“Our goal is clear,” stated Xie Jiahua, Vice President of Operations for KION ITS APAC and General Manager of the Jinan ITS facility. “We will produce and deliver the next 50,000 with even greater quality and higher speed to our global customers.”

This commitment reflects the core of KION’s strategy in China: advancing high-end manufacturing, deepening localization, and forging a resilient supply chain. Together with partners and customers, KION is not just manufacturing forklifts trucks – it is driving the intralogistics and material handling industry toward a more efficient and resilient future.