Knife maker banks on automation

Standing at a height of 1.8 meters or so, Kai Feng is a one-arm robot that is capable of shaping 2,000 blades a day, with the edges of each steel blade as sharp and precise as that of the most skilled craftsman in China.

Kai Feng, which means blade shaping in Chinese, was developed by Zhang Xiaoquan, one of the world's oldest and largest knife-makers from Hangzhou in Zhejiang province. Founded in 1628, more than two centuries before the founding of the German Empire and the industrialization of the steel industry, the cutlery brand used to take great pride in promoting its 72 steps for making a knife manually.

But with the winds of change, the company has joined the automation bandwagon. Zhang Xiaoquan, named after its eponymous founder, has been investing heavily in the automation of its manufacturing process so as to increase productivity. The company is currently preparing for an initial public offering to further expand its presence in the global markets.