Schneider Electric signs a strategic cooperation agreement with Shenyang General Robot Company

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Shanghai, China, July 20, 2015 – Recently, Schneider Electric, a global expert in energy efficiency management, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Shenyang General Robot Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as General Robot). This agreement focuses on providing comprehensive electrical solutions, while also enabling full-scale cooperation and information sharing across various business areas in the market. Schneider Electric will provide PLCs, frequency converters, motion control systems, stepper motors, and other auxiliary components, and will work with Universal Robots primarily on the research and development as well as market development of intelligent logistics equipment. The release of \"Made in China 2025\" has pointed the way for the future development of China’s manufacturing sector, with intelligence becoming an important aspect of its transformation and upgrading. Within the framework of future smart factories, intelligent logistics and warehousing operates in the backend, serving as the core link that connects the manufacturing side with the customer side. Compared to developed countries outside the United States and Japan, China’s logistics and warehousing costs are relatively high. Intelligent logistics equipment can help reduce labor costs while improving management efficiency, and is regarded as an excellent solution for the intelligent upgrading of the logistics industry today. Today, with the advent of Industry 4.0 and the development of the e-commerce industry, the integration of automated logistics systems is entering a golden age, and it will continue to grow at a rapid pace over the next decade or more. Taking this opportunity, Universal Robots, located in China’s Shenyang International Emerging Industrial Park – one of the world’s renowned centers for robot research, development, and manufacturing – and Schneider Electric, which boasts years of experience in the logistics industry as well as a robust sales network, have recognized the potential business opportunities in this field. Given the alignment of their strategies, the two companies will work together on the research, development, and manufacturing of robot systems, with a focus on products such as parallel robots, palletizing robots, and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). Together, they aim to develop China’s intelligent logistics equipment market and help advance the intelligent transformation of the country’s logistics industry. Born in Shenyang, the city known as the \"hub of heavy industry,\" General Robot has achieved remarkable success in recent years, launching highly acclaimed products such as modular heavy-duty robots and the GR600 industrial robot. In addition, it can provide corresponding solutions for applications such as robot controllers, robot teachpads, AGV guidance vehicles, material transportation, product handling, palletizing, and material picking. Dr. Li Hongyi, founder and chairman of Universal Robots, said, “As a rapidly rising robotics manufacturer in China, Universal Robots needs to identify its proper position and win the market through differentiated competition.” As one of the world’s top 500 companies, Schneider Electric enjoys a high level of brand recognition, and it also offers unique solutions for the logistics industry. We need to form partnerships with well-known manufacturers like Schneider Electric in order to quickly build our own core competitive advantages. At the same time, Schneider Electric’s extensive customer base and well-established distributor network in the logistics industry can also help Universal Robots expand its market as quickly as possible. It is precisely because of this complementary advantage that the two sides reached an agreement quickly; it is believed that by working together, they can achieve a win-win outcome. ” Under this project, Schneider Electric will provide General Robots with a range of electrical solutions, including Schneider Electric’s standard electrical products such as the Le*um 32 integrated drive products, frequency converters, and PLCs. Among them, Le*um 32 is based on Schneider Electric’s proven LXM32 driver and BMH motor platform. It consists of four main components: a servo motor, a power stage BMI, an LXM32i control unit, and power supply and I/O/bus connection modules. It integrates communication buses compliant with CANopen/CANmotion and EtherCAT standards. Utilizing Schneider Electric’s unified SoMachine and SoMove programming and debugging platforms, it enables the creation of customized, comprehensive motion control solutions. It features simplicity of use, flexibility and compact design, high efficiency and energy savings, as well as a wide range of functions. It is reported that, in the application of parallel robots and AGVs alone, the products and solutions provided by Schneider Electric can help General Robots reduce costs by 30% and enable it to expand its market share in the field of intelligent logistics equipment. Pang Xingjian, Vice President of OEM at Schneider Electric China’s Industrial Business Unit, said, “It is worth noting that all the products offered by Schneider Electric are equipped with the Ethernet/IP protocol and use standard Ethernet, which will help customers to more actively embrace the era of Industry 4.0.” We hope to leverage Schneider Electric’s advanced technologies, products, and solutions to work together with Chinese OEMs and robot manufacturers in order to drive innovation in robotics technology and the development of this industry in China, and ultimately facilitate a successful transformation from \"Made in China\" to \"Smart Made in China\". ” About Shenyang General Robot Technology Co., Ltd. Shenyang General Robot Technology Co., Ltd. was established in 2012. It focuses on the research and development of robot hardware, as well as the development, production, and sales of robots, force feedback products, and automation solutions for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries, logistics, and household and personal consumer sectors. The company is located in the International Emerging Industrial Park in Shenyang, China, one of the world’s renowned centers for robot research and development and manufacturing. It has its own robot research laboratory and robot startup incubator in Beijing, as well as a branch in Foshan, Guangdong, China. Universal Robots has its own R&D laboratories, and it maintains close collaborations with researchers from world-renowned institutions such as Harvard University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Universal Robots focuses on helping customers improve productivity. The company has strong R&D capabilities and holds dozens of patents. The robotics team led by Dr. Li Hongyi possesses world-class development capabilities; it works in partnership with top domestic sales teams as well as leading manufacturers around the world to produce high-quality products and solutions. About Schneider Electric: As a global expert in energy efficiency management, Schneider Electric provides comprehensive solutions for more than 100 markets in the areas of energy efficiency and infrastructure, industry, data centers and networking, as well as buildings and residential applications. It holds a leading position in markets such as energy efficiency and infrastructure, industrial process control, building automation, and data centers and networking, and also possesses strong market strength in residential applications. Committed to providing customers with safe, reliable, efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly energy solutions, Schneider Electric had sales of 25 billion euros in 2014, and the company employs over 170,000 people worldwide. Schneider Electric helps you – make the most of its efficiency and fully utilize its capabilities! About Schneider Electric’s Industrial Automation and Control business: As a leader in the field of industrial automation and control, Schneider Electric always focuses on energy savings and efficiency as core strategic goals. It continuously pursues innovative technologies and strives to provide end-users in the industrial sector as well as machine manufacturers with a comprehensive range of automation products, open energy management platforms, and cutting-edge industry solutions, thereby helping customers improve productivity and reduce energy consumption, so as to \"make the most of its efficiency and fully utilize its capabilities.\"