Industry

All news and posts of our editorial team on the topic

Management expects more from Kuka
Kuka is a prime example of the fear of German technology being sold off to China. In 2016, the Augsburg-based robot manufacturer was acquired by Chinese household appliance manufacturer Midea. At the annual general meeting this Tuesday, the company is to be finally sinicized. The Chinese bosses also intend to buy out the last remaining small German shareholders and then take Kuka off the stock market. They hope this will inject more peace into the company's management. So far, the company's performance has fallen short of expectations. continue reading →
Wuhan’s heartfelt wish for many new Gerichs
No developing country in the world has received as much support from Germany in the form of expertise, technology transfer and all kinds of aid as the People's Republic has since the beginning of its reforms. Were we too naive in the face of a potential systemic rival? continue reading →
Life inside the factory – the Covid hardship of workers
China's zero-Covid policy brings tough restrictions for companies. But they also benefit from measures that would be unimaginable in the West: Workers are isolated from the outside world. They stay overnight and live in or directly at the factories so that they do not catch Covid-19 during their commute or at home. First protests are mounting against this practice. continue reading →
Daniel Rötting: From orchestra to luxury floor
Daniel Roetting has been living and working in Beijing for ten years. When he moved to the Chinese capital in 2012, he started there as CEO and partner of the trading company Plix Trading Co., Ltd. Two years earlier, he was already the European representative of this company. His main task in Beijing is to […] continue reading →
Adidas expects lower sales
After a slump in profits at the beginning of the year, the world’s second-largest sporting goods group Adidas has scaled back its forecasts for 2022. The reason for the dwindling optimism is the flagging business in the former growth market China, which suffers from boycott calls against Western brands and the recent Covid lockdowns in […] continue reading →
EU wants to open China’s procurement market
Chinese companies could soon face considerable headwinds in the EU when it comes to public construction, supply and service contracts. Brussels wants to put a stop to cheap bids from the People's Republic by introducing new EU rules. These regulations are also intended to prompt China to open up its own procurement market to Europeans. But whether that will work is questionable. continue reading →
Risks for global growth
Global economic growth threatens to slow in the coming months. But a hard recession is not looming, according to most economic forecasts. Stephen S. Roach is more skeptical, citing three reasons for his pessimism. Above all, a weak China could drag the global economy down with it. continue reading →
Lack of trust in the social credit system
Two years after its gradual introduction, the social credit system for companies in China continues to pose a long list of concerns and inconsistencies for German companies. This was the verdict of an event on Thursday morning in the Global China Conversations series of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW). continue reading →
The second death of historic brand Borgward
In the 1950s, the cars of Bremen-based engineer Carl F.W. Borgward were a symbol of the German economic miracle. There was great enthusiasm in 2015 when the Chinese company Foton acquired the brand and announced a new beginning. This dream has now died with the company's bankruptcy. continue reading →