KUKA and Ford Otosan in Turkey have signed a new framework contract for supplying more than 700 robots for Ford’s next generation electrical and connected commercial vehicle projects in Ford’s plants in Kocaeli. The contract marks a continuation of the companies’ partnership, which has been in place for more than 20 years.

The KUKA products and solutions will be used to produce bodies-in-white, as well as other applications over the next few years. Among other aspects, KUKA’s services and the long-standing collaboration were important factors in the decision to award the contract.

Kagan Abidin, KUKA’s director for Turkey and the Middle East, said: “KUKA is very pleased to further accompany Ford Otosan on its journey towards electromobility in the coming years.”

Ford Otosan was established in 1959, and by the end of 2020 had an annual production capacity of 455,000 commercial vehicles, 70,000 engines and 140,000 powertrains. It is Ford’s biggest commercial vehicle production centre in Europe. KUKA, which has its headquarters in Augsburg, Germany, is a global automation corporation with sales of around 2.6 billion euros and about 14,000 employees.