Gu said the robot has obvious operating advantages in limited spaces, especially in small-work-piece processing, material movement and assembly. This high-end product has become the preferred product for industrial upgrading of smaller-sized electronic products in China, while also selling well in overseas markets.

The industrial robot market is seeing explosive growth in China. This market will have a demand of 35,000 robots in 2015, accounting for 16.9 percent of the world's total sales. It will become the largest robot market on the planet, according to the latest data from the Frankfurt-based International Federation of Robotics.

Because the wide application of industrial robots is essential to realizing smart manufacturing and production, ABB has managed to be the only multinational corporation that is incorporating industrial robot localization across the whole value chain in China, including research and development, production, sales, engineering and services.

In 2013, ABB provided robotic products and automotive manufacturing solutions to BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd's Tiexi production base in Shenyang. On the BMW assembly line, ABB robots are mainly engaged in handling, gluing and welding work. Meanwhile, ABB also provided robotic automation solutions to Volvo Car Group's Chengdu automobile production base, becoming the first robot supplier to provide a water-based adhesive system method in China.

"This solution reduces noise and vibration throughout the whole car while in operation, creating a quiet and comfortable driving environment for owners. It also greatly reduces the amount of volatile and organic compounds needed during manufacturing, thereby minimizing environmental pollution and damage to human health by improving the air quality in the car," said Jiang Haibo, vice-president and head of service, ABB North Asia and China.

In 2013, ABB China's service business maintained a strong upward trend. In the past 12 months, ABB added six service centers in China, including Hangzhou, Chongqing, Jinan, Xi'an, Wuhan and Shenyang, bringing the total number of service centers to nine. It also has more than 90 professional service stations and more than 200 authorized service providers throughout the country.