Jungheinrich is teaming with China’s EP Equipment to sell AntOn entry-level forklifts in Europe, using Chinese production scale to offer machines at about half the price of its German-made models.
AntOn strips out higher-end features—basic levers, no storage compartment, uncushioned seat—to target customers that do not need 24/7 performance, as Chinese rivals push aggressively into mid-tech industrial equipment.
That pressure is hitting a German economy that shrank in 2023 and 2024 and grew just 0.2% last year, while flagship manufacturers including Volkswagen, BMW and Bosch have announced tens of thousands of job cuts or buyouts.
Germany now buys more from China than it sells in categories it once dominated, including vehicles, trains, machinery and medical devices, as Beijing-backed manufacturers combine lower costs with improving quality.
Berlin has launched a 500 billion euro infrastructure fund and tax-cut plans, but economists say a fuller response may depend on tougher EU trade policy beyond the narrow tariffs already imposed on some Chinese goods.