GERMANY – The Homag Group and KUKA, one of the world’s leading suppliers of intelligent automation solutions, announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement at the HOLZ-HANDWERK trade fair in Nuremberg.

The companies have agreed intensive cooperation on global development projects. Two such projects have already been launched in China and Germany. The aim of the partnership is to join forces in developing smart robot solutions and selling them to the global woodworking market.

The collaboration will benefit from KUKA’s broad experience gained in different sectors in the field of robotics and from its large network of certified partners, who are located in numerous countries around the world and not only program KUKA robots but also integrate them at customer sites.

The Homag Group has an in-depth process knowledge of the woodworking industry and a strong, global sales network. Together, the Homag Group and KUKA can offer new, smart robot solutions to support the worldwide trend toward automation and increased availability.

Says Pekka Paasivaara, CEO of the Homag Group: “With our customers in mind, we are always looking for partners to expand our range of solutions – and we only want the best in the market. One of them is undoubtedly KUKA for solutions in robotics and smart automation.”

Cristian Reiter, Head of the Automation Technology Business Unit at the Homag Group, adds: “The partnership with KUKA enables us to offer our customers around the world even more extensively integrated robot solutions from a single source.”

“The collaboration with Homag is a mile stone in a long effort by KUKA to build an offer of products and services aimed at the general industry. We are very proud that Homag has chosen KUKA as its strategic partner for its needs in robotizing Homag’s world leading wood working machinery”, says Stefan Lampa, CEO KUKA Division Industries.