KUKA

KUKA is one of Europe's premier industrial robotics companies, supplying advanced robotic arms and automated production systems to automotive, electronics, and logistics manufacturers worldwide. Its 2016 acquisition by China's Midea Group stands as the defining cautionary example of European strategic technology being sold to non-aligned buyers — a deal that catalyzed Germany's tightening of foreign investment screening rules. KUKA's engineering talent and installed base remain significant European assets, but the ownership structure underscores the urgency of investment screening mechanisms to prevent further loss of critical automation capability.