Jungheinrich buys 4.9% of China's EP Equipment to lock in mid-tech push

What's the deal? JungheinrichDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired a 4.9% stake in Chinese industrial truck manufacturer EP Equipment. The Hamburg-based company structured the minority investment as a long-term strategic bet, deepening a partnership the two firms first agreed in May 2025.

What each side does: Both make material handling equipment such as forklifts and warehouse trucks. EP Equipment is described by Jungheinrich CEO Dr Lars Brzoska as "one of the most successful and fast-growing companies in the material handling sector."

Why now? The stake advances Jungheinrich's Strategy 2030+. It also cements a supply relationship: in 2024 Jungheinrich launched the "AntOnDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → by Jungheinrich" brand to serve the mid-tech segment with cost-effective, standardised trucks — products mainly manufactured by EP Equipment.

What changes? The two companies plan to expand collaboration on product portfolio and market development, plus exchange on technology and innovation. Neither disclosed a price for the stake.

What's the endgame? "Jungheinrich's investment is an expression of mutual trust and underlines the close ties between our companies," said EP Equipment CEO John He. Both firms frame the tie-up as a foundation for capitalising on new opportunities in material handling.

The signal: The deal comes as Jungheinrich navigates headwinds — it revised its 2026 forecast and faces a BaFin review of its 2025 interim financial statements. Rather than build a low-cost line from scratch, the company is buying into a Chinese partner to defend the mid-tech market, a route more European incumbents are likely to weigh as they chase cost-competitive volume.

Read more: MarketScreener