Industry giants collaborate with local partners to drive innovation

Overseas industrial giants released new products and announced local partnerships during the ongoing China International Industry Fair, or CIIF, showcasing deeper integration with the Chinese ecosystem and strong confidence in the domestic market.

Exhibitors, including Fortune 500 firms Schneider Electric and TE Connectivity, showed their latest innovations in 5G, artificial intelligence and robotics at China's largest annual industrial fair which runs through Saturday.

French-based Schneider Electric announced a batch of ecosystem partnerships, strategic collaborations and joint innovations at the fair.

Schneider Electric, with partners including China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) and China Unicom, released a report on open automation solutions for industrial cellular networks. It covers innovation in 5G-A, AI and open automation systems for modernizing production lines, which will redefine "future factories."

Schneider Electric also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Wanhua Chemical Group at the fair, aiming to enhance safety, reliability, and operational excellence in the chemical industry. The company also partnered with Shenzhen Teli Automation Engineering to showcase two "joint innovation" projects, focusing on industrial wastewater treatment for chip packaging in Guangzhou and water quality monitoring in Shenzhen.

TE Connectivity showcased its connectors in JAKA Max, a new heavyweight load industrial collaborative robot that was a star attraction and top-level award winner at CIIF. The connectors meet the demanding requirements of high-voltage and high-protection for heavy-duty robots, supporting the expansion of robotics applications in heavy-duty scenarios.

Emmanuel Dieppedalle, TE Connectivity Industrial BU's global chief commercial officer, said growth in China was a strategic value driver for TE IND business growth in the short, medium, and long term.

The company is expanding its local footprint in China, with recent measures including the acquisition of plants in Shenzhen and Shanghai and continuous investment in China's engineering capabilities for innovation and cost-effective products.

Chang Li, vice president of Shanghai-based JAKA, said cooperation with TE Connectivity ensures the high quality of robots and helps JAKA speed up its overseas expansion in regions such as Japan and Germany.

Festo, a German-based Industry 4.0 firm, released a next-generation valve terminal system (VTUX) at the fair as its domestic debut. The VTUX can be integrated into control systems in various ways and is designed via an electrical multi-pin connection. To meet localized demands of manufacturing in China, Festo has optimized its product mix and layout for emerging industries such as new energy vehicles, semiconductors, food packaging, and life science.

Festo's presence in China dates back to 1985, with its Chinese headquarters located in Shanghai.

The fair attracts 2,600 exhibitors from 28 countries and regions worldwide. The presence of these global industry giants at CIIF underscores their commitment to the Chinese market and their willingness to collaborate with local partners to drive innovation and growth.

As these companies continue to invest in China and develop localized strategies, they are not only strengthening their own positions but also contributing to the development of China's industrial capabilities and global competitiveness, fitting well with national strategy to boost innovation-oriented new force productivity development.