Making it big in Shanghai

The team from Linde Material Handling made a particularly strong statement at this year’s fair in Shanghai’s New International Expo Center with a huge exhibition space of 2,500m², a new record for stands at CeMAT ASIA. “This year, we wanted to offer our customers and visitors something extraordinary,” said a visibly proud Dean Xie, the vice president of Sales & Service at Linde China. “Which is why we set up the interior of our stand as a warehouse with a complete process chain from goods inward; handling and order picking through to goods outward. Under the motto, ‘Shaping the future together’, the set-up included new technologies such as automation, digitalization, alternative drive systems and energy technology.” Another display awaited visitors in the outdoor area, where Linde China created a range of scenarios including the simulation of sector-specific applications, such as a refrigeration chain from the food industry, a parcel service as used by online retailers, a production line from the chemicals industry. The display, covering an area of a 1,000 sq m – just under 11,000 sq feet – allowed Linde representatives to provide live demonstrations of solutions to specific customer needs.

Sophisticated solutions for every requirement

In addition to premium vendor Linde Material Handling, another KION brand in the industrial truck segment also attracted its share of visitors at CeMAT ASIA. Baoli showcased practical products and flexible solutions to accelerate and simplify logistics. The standout products included the KBE25-LI with a lithium-ion battery and the KBE25-L with a conventional lead-acid battery. These electric vehicles add another drive option to Baoli’s offering in the Asian market’s value segment. “We are proud to present new and advanced products to our customers at CeMAT Asia,” said Xudong Zhu, president at Baoli. This year marks not only the 20th anniversary of the regional trade show, but also ten years since Baoli became part of the KION Group.

Another KION brand in attendance, Dematic, also had a milestone to celebrate: its 200th anniversary as a solution provider. The automation specialist demonstrated how companies can design their material flow more intelligently and efficiently. Visitors checked out the new high-rack stacker systems and driverless industrial trucks as well as visually engaging models of the compact AutoStore system and the Etow – embedded towline system. There was considerable interest in the interactive Pick-to-Light commissioning system, as well as in the Dematic iQ software. In a separate area, VIP customers had an opportunity to see the software ‘brain’ behind warehouse management in action. “The Dematic iQ software portfolio is continually growing with the requirements of intralogistics and with the technological possibilities,” says Jens Hardenacke, president of Dematic China. “We don’t offer our customers products; we offer them solutions.”

The perfect partners for Industry 4.0 in China

The progress of Made in China 2025 that is not the only factor pushing industrial production in the region toward a crucial phase of change and evolution. “China is an important market for KION and will continue to gain in importance in the coming years,” states CP Quek, KION Executive Board member and Chief Asia Pacific Officer at the KION Group. “That’s why we want, and will continue, to grow as a leading material handling solutions provider in China, which is the single largest and one of the fastest growing markets in the world, by combining the strengths of our brands Linde, Dematic and Baoli.” The Group’s participation at this year’s trade show was a statement of intent as well as proof of how well the brand companies work together to offer customers made-to-measure solutions