KUKA inaugurates Automation 2.0 center in Vietnam to scale physical AI in packaging

Physical AI ecosystem expands in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia continues to solidify its role as a global manufacturing heavyweight, capturing a rapidly growing share of the world's packaging and paper supply chain. Capitalizing on this industrial expansion, @KUKA has officially inaugurated its Automation 2.0 Technology Center at the Saigon Hi-Tech Park in Vietnam. Developed in close partnership with local academic institutions, including the University of Danang and regional training centers, this new facility in 2026 is far more than a traditional showroom. It operates as an advanced application hub for physical AI, purposefully designed to elevate efficiency across converting lines, intralogistics, and end-of-line packaging operations throughout the region.

The shift toward intent-based robotics

The timing of this launch is firmly rooted in the strategic roadmap set by KUKA Group CEO Christoph Schell. Under his leadership, the company is spearheading the industry-wide shift toward "Automation 2.0." While Automation 1.0 relied on rigid, rule-based, and deterministic programming, this next generation introduces intent-based robotics. Powered by the newly unveiled KUKA AMP (Automation Management Platform)—which was recently showcased on stage at NVIDIA's GTC AI conference—industrial robots are no longer just blind executors of code. They are now intelligent systems capable of perceiving dynamic environments, making split-second operational decisions, and executing complex tasks autonomously.

Direct impact on corrugated converting and packaging

For the corrugated board and flexible packaging industries, where manufacturers are constantly challenged by fluctuating box dimensions, shorter run lengths, and mixed-case orders, the operational implications are profound. Packaging plants operating in Vietnam and the broader Southeast Asian market require extreme flexibility to remain competitive. Inside the new technology center, production engineers can simulate, test, and deploy advanced robotic solutions that directly address these pain points.

Inside the facility, paper and packaging companies can gain hands-on experience with several key innovations:

• Adaptive palletizing robotics: Cells equipped with the KR IONTEC series leveraging AI to instantly calculate stable stacking patterns for mixed-case corrugated orders without manual reprogramming.
• Autonomous intralogistics: Seamless integration of mobile platforms (ranging from the compact KMP 250P to the heavy-duty KMP 3000P) for the safe transport of paper rolls and finished pallets across the factory floor.
• Digital twin simulation: Tools like iiQWorks.Sim that allow engineers to design and test the complete operational flow of a corrugated plant before installing a single piece of hardware.

Addressing the technical skills gap

Operational safety and software standardization are also key pillars of the new center. The rollout of the scalable iiQKA.OS2 operating system ensures that automated cells are future-proofed against upcoming global robotic safety regulations, including the revised ISO 10218:2025 standards that take full effect globally in 2027. By lowering the barrier to entry through intuitive interfaces and AI-assisted programming, @KUKA is making high-end automation more accessible to packaging converters of all sizes.

Finally, this strategic investment directly tackles the technical skills shortage in the regional workforce. Through technology transfer agreements and official certification programs, the Vietnam center establishes a robust pipeline of talent fully versed in Industry 4.0 principles. By training the next generation of technicians on digital twin simulations and physical AI environments, the German robotics leader ensures that regional packaging manufacturers have both the technology and the human expertise to thrive in the era of smart manufacturing.

@KUKA’s decision to embed physical AI directly into a high-growth manufacturing region is a strategic masterstroke that will significantly lower the barrier to entry for advanced end-of-line packaging automation. Will intent-based robotics finally eliminate the persistent programming bottlenecks associated with rapid format changes in corrugated plants? Follow The Paper for daily news, market signals and key updates from the global paper, corrugated and packaging industry. — Sigue toda la actualidad del sector en www.thepaper.ai