From June 29 to July 5, 2025, TUP was part of the official economic delegation of the state of Baden-Württemberg (also referred to as “THE LÄND”) to China, represented by Managing Director and CIO Eduard Wagner. Led by Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, the trip offered selected companies an exclusive opportunity to experience the latest developments in intelligent transport solutions, robotics, and digital transformation firsthand and to engage in dialogue with decision-makers from business, politics, and research.
Context and objectives of the trip
China is a key trading partner and driver of innovation in the fields of automation, AI, and robotics for the state of Baden-Württemberg. The delegation—comprising approximately 60 participants from companies, associations, and academia—served to explore the market, scout for technology, and establish strong contacts in key industries. For TUP, this international networking has a clear goal: to identify relevant trends early on and quickly translate them into market-oriented, customized solutions.
Stops and program
The delegation visited the innovation centers in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. The program included a visit to the “World of Robots” exhibition in Beijing E-Town and talks at the Humanoid Robot Innovation Center. In southern China, the focus was on software-driven mobility solutions and service robotics, with company visits to XPENG, SICK China, WeRide, Phoenix Wings (cargo drones), PUDU Tech, and Tencent, among others. This selection illustrates the close interconnection between AI and robotics, which is particularly pronounced in the automotive sector along the entire value chain.
Observations – what is happening in China
The trip confirmed that intelligent transport solutions (ITS) and robotics are growing together rapidly – from autonomous navigation and sensor technology to AI-based assistance functions. Political programs and investments in China are accelerating humanoid robotics in particular; the momentum in this segment is considered strategically relevant for production, logistics, and service. For companies from THE LÄND, this results in a twofold imperative: expand technological depth and develop targeted international partnerships.
What TUP takes away—and how our customers benefit
- Faster translation of R&D into products: Observed innovation cycles reinforce our approach of quickly integrating research findings into our warehouse management solutions—with a focus on stability, scalability, and real efficiency gains in intralogistics.
- Rethinking human-machine collaboration: Humanoid and service robots open up new options for safe, flexible picking and transport processes. We evaluate specific integration scenarios in existing material flow and WMS architectures.
- Data-driven optimization: Concepts from autonomous mobility applications – from advanced sensor technology to predictive maintenance – can be transferred to intralogistics material flows.
- Ecosystem & partnerships: The large number of players along the robotics value chain (hardware, software, cloud, integration) underscores the value of resilient partner networks for fast, reliable implementations.
Official framework provided by the Ministry of Economic Affairs
The delegation trip was organized by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor, and Tourism and coordinated by the state agency Baden-Württemberg International. The official framework, curated company visits, and access to decision-makers significantly enhanced the quality and relevance of the insights gained.
First-hand impressions
In media interviews, Eduard Wagner described his observations on humanoid robotics and new logistics applications (including drone logistics). The Chinese have gone full throttle, he said in an interview.
Speed and few regulatory hurdles are the basis for success. No tram is ever late, the subway is perfectly organized, and there is fast Wi-Fi and 5G reception on every corner, he reports with regard to the technology hubs he visited. This is accompanied by a mentality that usually leaves European solutions behind in terms of time-to-market. However, this is not a real obstacle to the goal of providing smart, interoperable software solutions for real logistics environments. The logical conclusion is – as happened during the trip – to promote universal exchange, naturally also with China, and to prepare the findings for your own roadmap.
Outlook
For TUP, one thing is clear: the integration of robotics, AI, and logistics software will become the central driving force behind operational excellence in warehouse management. We translate the delegation’s findings into concrete, practical functions for our WMS solutions – intelligent, robust, and future-oriented. At the same time, we are intensifying the exchange with all relevant economic players from THE LÄND in order to realize scalable, flexible, and above all efficient warehouse management systems for our customers.
