The event highlighted emerging automation technologies, industry trends and customer success stories that are breaking new ground in today’s robotics industry while strengthening the partnerships that continue to advance North American manufacturing, material handling and packaging industries.

SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich., July 30, 2026 - KUKA Robotics hosted its fourth consecutive KUKA Connexions event from July 20-22, 2026, on Lake Tahoe, in Incline Village, Nev. The event assembled official KUKA system partners, integrators and technology partners from across North America for three days filled with collaborative innovations and educational insights to showcase what's next in automation. The event highlighted emerging automation technologies, industry trends and customer success stories that are breaking new ground in today's robotics industry while strengthening the partnerships that continue to advance North American manufacturing, material handling and packaging industries.

Throughout the three-day Connexions event, attendees experienced live demonstrations, hands-on learning and educational sessions centered on the latest advancements in robotics and digital manufacturing. KUKA showcased its expanding iiQKA ecosystem, including iiQKA.OS2 and engineering tools designed to simplify robot programming, simulation and deployment, while introducing the new KUKA Automation Management Platform (AMP) with Automation 2.0. The platform allows manufacturers and system integrators to easily discover, deploy and manage automation software and partner-developed applications through a connected digital ecosystem. Additional demonstrations highlighted KUKA industrial robots, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automation tools from technology partners that improve manufacturing scalability and productivity.

Keynote presentations and customer success stories demonstrated how manufacturers are leveraging automation to solve complex production challenges across industries ranging from medical technology and automotive to consumer products and logistics. For example, Medtronic shared how it incorporated the KUKA LBR Med collaborative robot into one of its robotic-assisted surgical systems, illustrating how KUKA technology is helping advance precision, consistency and innovation in image-guided surgery. Additional customer presentations highlighted successful automation implementations that increased efficiency and addressed workforce challenges while providing attendees with practical insights they can apply to future projects.

Attendees also gained an economic and manufacturing outlook from the Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT), which examined the macroeconomic trends shaping North American manufacturing, from pre-pandemic to current-day challenges. The presentation highlighted how manufacturers continue to invest in automation driven by persistent labor shortages, the growing influence of AI and increasing demand for productivity across nearly every industry.

Two panel discussions gave attendees additional insight into emerging applications and real-world automation strategies. One panel featured KUKA system partners sharing their firsthand experiences integrating autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), covering implementation best practices, customer successes, and the growing role of mobile robotics in manufacturing and intralogistics. The second panel brought together startup companies that are leveraging robotic automation in new and innovative ways, showcasing applications including robotic car washing, solar panel installation, 3D-printed home construction and automated forklift battery changing. Together, the discussions highlighted the expanding opportunities for robotics across both traditional manufacturing and emerging industries.

Also during Connexions 2026, KUKA hosted a banquet to celebrate its award-winning system partners from Mexico, Canada and the United States for 2025:

• System Partner of the Year - Autotool, Inc.
• AMR Partner of the Year - Hyperion Automation, Inc.
• Greatest Growth Partner for USA - Contoro, Inc.
• Greatest Growth Partner for Canada - FH Automation
• Greatest Growth Partner for Mexico - Mondragon Assembly, S.A de C.V.
• Emerging Partner of the Year - Autowash Holdings, LLC

For more information about KUKA's System Partner Program, visit the system partner web page.

KUKA
KUKA is an international automation group with sales of around EUR 3.7 billion and approximately 15,000 employees. As one of the world's leading suppliers of intelligent, resource-saving automation solutions, KUKA offers industrial robots, autonomous mobile robots (AMR) including controllers, software, and cloud-based digital services, as well as fully networked production systems for various industries - primarily for markets such as automotive with a focus on e-mobility & battery, electronics, metal & plastic, consumer goods, food, e-commerce, retail, and healthcare. The company is headquartered in Augsburg, Germany.