It is not where development takes place that is crucial, but rather that expertise is pooled: in Antwerp, development, engineering and testing come together – with a direct link to the customer. Antwerp shows how this can be achieved: under one roof, close to customer needs, with a clear role in the KION network.
2025-10-01
In the test area of the Centre of Excellence for Mobile Automation, motors hum, voices echo through the hall, and safety sensors beep in unison. Between functional checks and software updates, a newly delivered series vehicle makes its first autonomous runs through marked corridors.
Here in Antwerp, Belgium, a birthday is being celebrated on 1 October: exactly one year ago, the new building was opened, bringing many competences together under one roof – offices and workshops, assembly and development – and several brands from the KION Group. Colleagues from Dematic work here side by side with employees from the KION ITS brands.
The Antwerp site develops solutions that go far beyond standard products: from series vehicles upgraded with automation components to completely bespoke solutions. From his office, Bart Verbeeck, Plant Manager AGV Final Assembly & Testing, has a direct view of the Assembly and Test Area, where freshly delivered trucks take their first autonomous drives. Standing beside him is Patrick Van Orshaegen, Director Mobile Automation EMEA, who explains: “When a vehicle arrives at our factory, it can be driven manually by an operator. When it leaves, the vehicle runs autonomously,” he says, tapping on the live data on the display.
It is this transition – from standard truck to intelligent vehicle – that defines the location. But Antwerp stands not only for technological progress, but also for a special kind of cooperation and flexibility: “Our strength in Antwerp is recognising the needs that come in through the Operating Units early on and responding flexibly to them. We can implement changes very late in the process – that is exactly what gives us speed, especially when the requirements are very specific,” says Van Orshaegen.
Around 350 employees make Antwerp our Centre of Excellence for automation in the EMEA region. For Frank Heptner, Vice President Co-Lead Automation EMEA, the location stands for a new kind of cooperation: short distances, bundled expertise. The fact that development, engineering, testing and commissioning work side by side here has a noticeable effect on speed and quality: “I experience an intense sense of togetherness here in Antwerp,” says Heptner.
"Sharing a single space with our sister companies is a great opportunity for all of us," agrees Farly Orie, Market Leader Benelux, Dematic. "The closer proximity enables us to work more closely, learning from each other and gaining a better understanding of how the other brands operate. Customers also benefit significantly from this collaboration. Within KION, we provide automation solutions across the spectrum, from manual applications to integrated complete systems, and the specialists for all these offerings are now united in this office. Automation, after all, is deeply embedded in Dematic's DNA; our decades of experience in this field make our integration into the Centre of Excellence a perfect alignment.”
Every project begins with what is known as solution design: a team of around 15 specialists translates the customer’s requirements into a concept. This involves determining which processes are to be automated, which vehicle types are suitable, and how they fit into the existing environment.
This is followed by engineering – around 70 engineers work on the detailed design and selection of materials. “This is where the actual vehicle design is created, right down to the cable harnesses, safety systems and vehicle control,” explains Van Orshaegen. Special solutions such as conveyor belts or clamps are also integrated at this stage.
Once the vehicle has been built, commissioning begins; testing, validation and software adjustments before the solution is handed over to the customer. Only when all processes are running smoothly, and safety approvals have been obtained does real-world operation begin. “Our process therefore extends from the first stroke on paper to handover to the customer – all under one roof,” summarises Van Orshaegen.
Antwerp speeds things up where traditional series processes would be too slow. One example is a heavy-duty forklift that can move several pallets at once – for the beverage industry, for instance. Or a specialised heavy-duty forklift for a Swedish car manufacturer, which was tested and customised in Antwerp.
Frank Heptner sees the Antwerp site as a bridge between standardised industrial production and tailor-made customer solutions. “Whether it is hygiene-critical areas with stainless steel components, complex transport in tyre and paper logistics, or customer-specific transfers via conveyor – where standardisation ends, our learning curve begins,” he explains.
Rapid adjustments and late changes are possible because limited quantities allow for a different degree of freedom than mass production. The key point here is that “we work exclusively with components from the KION Group,” says Heptner. “Although the vehicle is customised, our colleagues at the brands are familiar with the individual components. That is real added value, both in terms of price and, above all, service.”
The team is particularly proud of a major project in France, where autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are being used in parallel with very narrow aisle trucks (VNAs). Prototypes are currently undergoing test runs onsite at the customer’s premises – a combination of precision and software intelligence. “This is the first time we have combined AMR and VNA – everything has to be perfect: the floor, the software, the hardware,” explains Herman De Schepper, Head of Project Management for Automated & Integrated Solutions.
The customer benefits from this solution include maximum space utilisation in high-bay warehouses and high throughput – in other words, reduced space requirements and faster processes.
The Antwerp site has an impact both internally and externally: it brings together expertise, creates transparency and speeds up decision-making. “The building is a point of contact – this is where customers and regional teams come together to discuss solutions with experts,” says Heptner. Antwerp is thus setting the pace for mobile automation in the KION Group. Or, in the words of Van Orshaegen: “Manual becomes autonomous – that is what happens here every day.”
