The Automation Journey
Sparking Industrial Progress Through Automation
UB’s journey was shaped by tackling complex industrial automation challenges early—where reliability, scale, and continuous operation mattered most. Through deep engineering involvement and real-world deployments, UB built the capability to deliver automation systems that set new benchmarks, positioning the company among the pioneers shaping modern industrial automation.
1995
Founded on a Strong Service Culture
UB was established in Penang by Chairman BC Tan, supporting global semiconductor leaders such as Motorola, Amkor, Spansion, Epson and Toshiba. The company built its early strength through a service-first mindset, focusing on solving customer pain points in assembly operations.
2006
Entering Automation Through Engineering and R&D
The formation of UB’s first Automation Team marked the shift from service-based operations into automation development. The company introduced its first Material Management System (MMS), strengthening its engineering capabilities and laying the foundation for future R&D-driven growth.
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2011
Expanding Across Asia and Building Integrated Factory Systems
UB’s expansion into China through the establishment of UBCT Shanghai marked a significant step in deepening the company’s involvement in the regional manufacturing landscape. Deployments across China and Singapore exposed UB to more complex production environments, driving the development of factory-wide systems that connected material flow, warehouse activities and production data.
2013
Pioneering Lights-Off Automation
UB entered a pivotal phase by taking on projects where production lines were designed to operate with minimal manual intervention. The success of these implementations placed UB among the early adopters and practitioners of lights-off automation, marking a major step forward in the company’s evolution as an automation technology leader.
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2016
Scaling Proven Technology Across Leading Global Manufacturers
UB expanded its automation deployments across multiple major manufacturing sites. These rollouts strengthened the company’s technical maturity and supported continuous R&D improvements in material management, WIP automation and system performance within high-volume operations.
2017
Expanding Automation into Warehouse Operations
Automation began extending beyond the production floor as warehouse digitalisation and automated material movement were introduced. This broadened UB’s coverage of the manufacturing value chain and marked the start of a more connected approach to managing end-to-end material flow.
2018
Advancing AI, Robotics and Autonomous Material Movement
The introduction of AI-driven technology, robotics and autonomous material movement strengthened UB’s warehouse automation capabilities. These advancements improved accuracy and responsiveness, laying the groundwork for more intelligent and adaptive automation across both warehouse and production operations.
2021
Strengthening Global Integration Capabilities
UB expanded its autonomous warehouse technologies while enhancing integration with MES systems. These improvements increased coordination between warehouse operations, production processes and enterprise platforms, enabling more seamless material flow and stronger visibility across customers’ global manufacturing networks.
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2023
Smart Manufacturing & Warehouse Ecosystem
UB’s technologies spanning automation, software, AI and robotics — converged into a unified Smart Manufacturing & Warehouse Ecosystem. This milestone marked UB’s transformation into a complete automation technology provider and led to the rebranding as UB Group, reflecting a broader vision and stronger technology foundation for the future of manufacturing.
