Press release for download (PDF-format) - KUKA Robotics

Presse-Information Press release Communiqué de presseAward-Winning Excellence“Manufacturing Excellence Award 2008” – Evenwhen it comes to winning, KUKA Roboter setsnew standardsAugsburg/Berlin, November 2008 – Over the past few years, the“Manufacturing Excellence Award” (MX Award) has developed to becomeone of the most important manufacturing industry awards in Germany.KUKA Roboter GmbH, one of the world’s leading suppliers of industrialrobots, has pulled off a major coup in this year’s competition for theprestigious trophy: KUKA Roboter is the first company in the history of theMX Award in Germany to win two of the highly-prized awards at the sametime. Both the overall award and the award in the category “Productinnovation” went to the technological leader from Augsburg.At the representative offices of Bertelsmann in Berlin, leading-edge bestpracticeconcepts of German companies were honored with the“Manufacturing Excellence Award”. The independent panel of judgescomprises key figures from the worlds of science, industry and the media.KUKA Roboter GmbH, Augsburg, not only came top in the “Productinnovation” category, but also won the overall award in this competitionorganized by “Financial Times Deutschland” and the Technical University ofBerlin. This marks the first time in the history of the MX Award that acompany has won two awards in the same year.KUKA NORDIC ABA Odhners Gata 15S-421 30 Västra FrölundaSwedenPhone + 46 (0)31 726 62 00Fax +46 (0)31 726 62 01info@kuka.sewww.kuka.seKUKA Roboter GmbHCorporate CommunicationsJürgen Schulze-FerebeeHead of Corporate CommunicationsGlobal Sales CenterHery-Park 300086368 Gersthofen, GERMANYTelefon +49 821 4533-3473Fax +49 821 797-413473Mobil: +49 172 8175391JuergenSchulze@kuka-roboter.depresse@kuka.comwww.kuka.comGermany as a successful manufacturing locationThe goal of the MX competition is to promote the exchange of experiencebetween representatives of the worlds of science and industrial practiceand thus to strengthen Germany as a production location. KUKA Roboterprovides proof that innovation and production are possible in Germany andserves as an example for others to follow.- 1 -

Top in customer orientation and product innovationIn competition with other companies, the Augsburg-based manufacturerhas set new standards in terms of customer orientation and productinnovation – as acknowledged by the verdict of the judges. In thesecategories, the automation specialist is unrivaled. During a tour of the plant,the inspection committee was also able to see that the criteria were amplymet in the areas of order, cleanliness, visualization and standardization.KUKA Roboter combines practical customer requirements with state-of-thearttechnology. Close worldwide cooperation with academic and researchinstitutes ensures that KUKA and its customers maintain an edge over thecompetition in terms of process technology. Two first prizes testify to thefact that what is standard at KUKA Roboter constitutes “best practice” formany others. KUKA thus sets the standards for others to live up to.KUKA quality comes out on topKUKA has been leaving its mark on the world of robotics for 35 years withimportant research projects, technological developments and successfulproduct designs. The result for the leader in innovation has been a richharvest of awards over the past few years. Winning the MX Award isparticular acknowledgement of the efficacy of the company as a whole. Thecompany’s motivation and goal is to provide its customers added value inservice, quality and performance with each and every product. Once again,striving towards this goal has resulted in another prestigious accolade forthe Augsburg-based manufacturer, one that emphatically demonstrates thatKUKA Roboter GmbH sets standards.About KUKA Nordic ABKUKA Nordic AB is a supplier of flexible, robot-based automation systems for the automotive,aerospace, solar and manufacturing industries and has core competencies in the development,production and sale of industrial robots, controllers, software and linear units. KUKA Nordic AB isbased in Göteborg and is a subsidariary of KUKA Systems GmbH and KUKA Roboter GmbH, bothbased in Augsburg, Germany, with combined more than 5.500 employees worldwide. In 2007, KUKASystems generated sales of over EUR 900 million, KUKA Roboter EUR 413 million.- 2 -