Why Midea Is Cuckoo for Kuka's Robots

Unlike the Greek sorceress it resembles in name, Midea Group doesn't have to be a prophet to realize it can no longer rest on cheap Chinese labor and low-end technology. That's why this top Chinese appliance manufacturer is willing to splash out for a German robotics giant. Shenzhen-listed Midea wants to lift its stake in Kuka to at least 30% from the current 13.5%, for a price that would value the German high-end robotics maker's shares at 5.2 billion. That investment may trigger an open offer for all of Kuka's shares....