KION Opens R&D Automation Center EMEA in Antwerp

The KION Group has opened the KION Automation Center Antwerp in Belgium, a Center of Excellence for automation solutions in EMEA. It is the first of its kind and now the most important location for research and development, testing, and customized production of automation solutions in EMEA. Employees from KION brands will work collaboratively on automation projects and individual customer requirements there.

(Frankfurt/Antwerp) “Automation is the future of our industry, which is why I am very pleased about the opening of this location,” says Ching Pong Quek, member of the board and Chief Technology Officer of KION GROUP AG. “By bringing together different teams and competencies under one roof, we can respond to market needs and implement automation projects faster, more innovatively, and cost-effectively. The teams develop suitable automation solutions for our customers and support our regional sales teams.” The new building allows for testing and optimizing new solutions on-site and responding quickly and individually to requirements. “The Center of Excellence enables intensive collaboration across business areas with the goal of serving our customers even better,” says Quek.

Around 400 employees from various fields, representing 40 nationalities, work at the KION Automation Center Antwerp. The 11,800 square meter building is designed for collaborative work, featuring a flexible office concept that promotes creative thinking, learning from each other, joint testing, and knowledge transfer. The building is located near the Port of Antwerp in an industrial area that is expected to grow and develop in the coming years.

Collaboration is a Key Success Factor at the New Location

Employees who previously worked at the two rented locations in Antwerp and Zwijndrecht have now moved to the new KION Automation Center. This shortens distances and promotes cross-departmental collaboration among the teams. For example, Dematic, a KION subsidiary and specialist in automation and software, has vacated its previous office and moved a few meters into the new building. The team offers automation solutions for customers across Europe.

In addition to Dematic, other operating units of the KION Group are also housed in the new building. One of them is KION Industrial Trucks and Services (ITS) EMEA. The workforce in Antwerp takes care of customer projects—from planning to delivery—as well as training sessions conducted in the building. Other focuses include testing and developing customized hardware and software solutions, as well as producing special solutions, particularly for material handling equipment.

Robotic Systems will play an important role in the new automation center. The team there is developing intelligent, industrialized, driverless, and interoperable robotic products, solutions, and services that can be easily installed, operated, and maintained in brownfield applications—and supports the applications throughout their entire lifecycle.

Sustainable Building Design

The new KION Automation Center in Antwerp features modern standards for sustainable design, such as solar panels and a green roof. The goal is to achieve BREEAM certification for sustainable buildings, which is based on a holistic approach to ecological and social sustainability as well as sustainable corporate governance (ESG), health, and net-zero emissions goals. From energy use to ecology, recognized performance metrics are compared against established benchmarks in a BREEAM assessment to evaluate the design, construction, and use of a building.

Additionally, the KION Group is working closely with the European agency Encon to obtain a WELL Gold certification from the international WELL Building Institute based in the USA. The WELL Building Standard is an evidence-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring building features that impact the health and well-being of employees.

Photo: © KION