China buying up robots
If you think robots really are going to take all the jobs, then owning one of the world’s biggest robot-makers would seem a smart strategic move.So the offer by Chinese consumer appliance group Midea for a probable majority stake in Germany’s Kuka is logical — even if the 60 per-cent premium is outlandish by the normal standards of takeover deals.Four companies — Germany’s Kuka, Switzerland’s ABB and Japan’s Fanuc and Yaskawa Electric — dominate the market for industrial robots. If you want an experienced robotics group with a global footprint and top-notch technology, you don’t have many options. ABB’s robot arm is a core part of the Swiss conglomerate while Fanuc is famously independent and secretive (just ask activist Dan Loeb).
Robot Overlords
European and Japanese companies dominate the market for industrial robots.
