From Cutting Robots to Humanoids · Florian Kohut · Yaskawa · FLOW 2026
What happens when one of the world’s largest robotics manufacturers discovers the enormous automation potential of the printing industry? And how far away are we from robots that can recognize, learn, and adapt to new tasks on their own?
At FLOW 2026 in Bad Hersfeld, INKISH’s Morten Reitoft meets Florian Kohut from Japanese robotics giant Yaskawa to discuss industrial automation, the company’s collaboration with Komori and MBO, and the next generation of intelligent robotics.
Yaskawa has decades of experience supplying industrial robots to industries ranging from automotive manufacturing to food and pharmaceuticals. But as Florian explains, the printing industry offers significant opportunities, particularly in the processes surrounding printing presses, where manual handling, repetitive movements, and material transport continue to create bottlenecks.
At FLOW, Yaskawa and Komori demonstrate a fully automated guillotine solution, combining industrial robotics with printing industry expertise. Rather than simply supplying a robot to be programmed by an integrator, Yaskawa works closely with Komori and MBO to develop a complete solution built around actual customer requirements.
And what looks relatively simple from the outside involves sophisticated engineering, software integration, data exchange, and precise robotic movements.
The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence, faster processors, and advanced sensors are opening new possibilities for robotics. Florian describes Yaskawa’s development of adaptive robotic systems incorporating NVIDIA technology, enabling robots to recognize objects and potentially learn new skills.
And then there’s the question everyone is asking: humanoid robots.
Florian shares Yaskawa’s ambitions to introduce humanoid robot pilots in the coming years, with broader commercialization targeted around 2030. While the applications are still being explored, he believes humanoids will eventually find their place alongside established industrial robotics.
An interesting conversation about partnerships, practical automation, intelligent robotics, and why the printing industry’s next productivity improvements may come from everything happening around the printing press.
Recorded at FLOW 2026 · Bad Hersfeld, Germany · INKISH
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Fri November 6th
Who Built FLOW? Meet the Man Behind the Exhib...
What does it take to transform a working print factory into an exhibition — and then take everything down again just a few days later? On the final day of FLOW 2026 in Bad Hersfeld, INKISH's Morten Reitoft meets Kor Schokker from Schokker Producties, the man whose team built the exhibition environment that brought FLOW to life at Probo's production facility. For Kor and his team, exhibition construction is nothing new. But transforming an entire factory into a professional, welcoming exhibition with a consistent visual identity, numerous exhibitors, and thousands of details to coordinate is quite another challenge. Schokker Producties is a Dutch company specializing in exhibition construction, signage, vehicle wrapping, interior applications, and visual communication. With a team of approximately 15 people, the company serves customers primarily in the Netherlands while following them to exhibitions internationally. Kor also shares an interesting perspective on his long-standing relationship with Probo. Rather than operating his own large-scale printing facility, he relies on Probo as a trusted production partner, providing quality, competitive pricing, and fast delivery. It's a relationship that demonstrates how specialization and outsourcing can work together successfully. And sustainability is an important part of the story. The exhibition structures are designed for reuse, enabling the creation of impressive environments without starting from scratch each time. As FLOW comes to an end, Kor and his team are already preparing for their next project, building an exhibition for agricultural robotics specialist Lely. A conversation about craftsmanship, collaboration, sustainable exhibition construction, and the people behind the scenes who make events like FLOW possible. Recorded at FLOW 2026 · Bad Hersfeld, Germany · INKISH