Bosch Rexroth signs joint venture agreement with Xi'an IF Intelligent Equipment in China to develop and sell electromechanical actuators for off-highway vehicles
Jan Saeger27.01.2026Lohr am Main
Joint venture aims to develop and sell off-highway electromechanical actuators for the global market
The new joint venture will market its portfolio by itself and will be based in Shanghai
Signing the joint venture agreement in Xi'an on January 26, 2026 (LTR): Fowai Lau, General Manager of Bosch Rexroth in China and the East Asia Region, Dr. Steffen Haack, CEO of Bosch Rexroth, and Fan Yandu, Chairman of the Board of Xi'an IF Intelligent Equipment (image source: Xi'an IF)
Bosch Rexroth and Xi'an IF Intelligent Equipment plan to join their forces for the development and sales of electromechanical actuators (EMA) for off-highway vehicles for the global market. Bosch Rexroth, a leading supplier of automation and drive technologies, has been active in China since 1978. Xi'an IF Intelligent Equipment, a 100 percent sub-sidiary of Xi'an Huaou Transmission and founded in 2001, specializes in the field of ball screws and also produces electromechanical axes. The agreement to create a joint venture under industrial leadership of Bosch Rexroth was signed in Xi'an on January 26, 2026. Its establishment is subject to the approval of various international antitrust authorities and other government agencies in China.
“The Chinese market for electromechanical actuators for off-highway vehicles is developing rapidly and has a high potential for worldwide growth. We want to win in this market right from the start. For that, we need speed in product development at sustainably competitive costs. Combining our technical and sales competencies in the field of electromechanical axes will provide benefits to our customers, and also to our respective companies,” says Dr. Steffen Haack, CEO of Bosch Rexroth.
Xi'an IF Intelligent Equipment has proven high technical competence in ball screws – the key component for electromechanical actuators. “This collaboration is not only a strategic partnership between two companies but also a clear commitment to what our customers need these days. Together with Bosch Rexroth, we are injecting powerful, intelligent, and green momentum into the global off-highway market, and we aim to set a benchmark for a low-carbon future in global mobile applications. Together, we will create solutions to benefit our customers, our businesses as well as a sustainable future,” says Fan Yandu, Chairman of the Board of Xi'an IF Intelligent Equipment.
The newly founded joint venture will focus on the development, application and final assembly of electromechanical actuators, developing its own EMA-product lines composed of components like motor, motor controls and linear drives. Target industries include machinery for construction, agriculture and mining as well as material handling. The joint venture will establish its own sales team and be responsible for domestic market sales. For oversea sales, the global sales channels of Bosch Rexroth will be used. Headquarters will be in Shanghai, while production will be located in Xi'an.
As one of the world’s leading suppliers of drive and control technologies, Bosch Rexroth ensures efficient, powerful and safe movement in machines and systems of any size. The company bundles global application experience in the market segments of Mobile and Industrial Applications as well as Factory Automation. With its intelligent components, customized system solutions, engineering and services, Bosch Rexroth is creating the necessary environment for fully connected applications. Bosch Rexroth offers its customers hydraulics, electric drive and control technology, gear technology and linear motion and assembly technology, including software and interfaces to the Internet of Things. With locations in over 80 countries, around 33,800 associates generated sales revenue of 7.6 billion euros in 2023.
Basic Information Bosch
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 429,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2023). The company generated sales of 91.6 billion euros in 2023. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. With its business activities, the company aims to use technology to help shape universal trends such as automation, electrification, digitalization, connectivity, and an orientation to sustainability. In this context, Bosch’s broad diversification across regions and industries strengthens its innovativeness and robustness. Bosch uses its proven expertise in sensor technology, software, and services to offer customers cross-domain solutions from a single source. It also applies its expertise in connectivity and artificial intelligence in order to develop and manufacture user-friendly, sustainable products. With technology that is “Invented for life,” Bosch wants to help improve quality of life and conserve natural resources. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 470 subsidiary and regional companies in over 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. Bosch’s innovative strength is key to the company’s further development. At 136 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 90,000 associates in research and development, of which nearly 48,000 are software engineers.
Bosch Rexroth closed the 2024 financial year in a difficult market environment with significantly lower sales than in the two very strong previous years.
Bosch Rexroth invests in factory automation: The company is planning to acquire the majority stake in Kassow Robots ApS based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and thus expand its portfolio for the Factory of the Future.
