Japanese global Yaskawa corporation reaffirms commitment to Bavarian location

Groundbreaking for multi-million-euro investment in Allershausen, near Munich, Germany

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The Japanese Yaskawa corporation, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of industrial robots and drive technology with annual turnover of around 3 billion euros, is strengthening its European base in Allershausen, near Munich, Germany: construction work for the new headquarters officially commenced on 6 September with a traditional Japanese groundbreaking ceremony.

Bavarian Minister for Economic Affairs Dr. Martin Zeil called it a “Joyous occasion for Bavaria and Japan” and broke the ground together with Yaskawa’s European directors Koichi Takamiya (Board of Directors, Regional Head Europe, Yaskawa Electric Corporation, Japan) and Manfred Stern (Chief Operations Officer, Yaskawa Europe GmbH). They were ably assisted by a two-arm MOTOMAN SDA10 robot.
Other guests of honor at the ceremony were the mayor of Allershausen, Rupert Popp, the Japanese Consul General, Akira Mizutani, and deputy district administrator of Freising, Anita Meinelt. The building company responsible for the project, Takenaka, was represented by Tetsuya Sekiya (President of Takenaka Europe GmbH) and Shiro Osada (Executive Managing Officer, Takenaka Corporation, Japan).

On course for growth
Yaskawa is investing around 12.5 million euro in the new, representative headquarters. This is also a sign of the high goals that the world’s market leader has set itself for the European market: “We aim to double the number of MOTOMAN robots installed annually in Europe to over 6,000 by 2015”, explained Manfred Stern, Chief Operations Manager of Yaskawa Europe GmbH, on the occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony.
European head Koichi Takamiya (Board of Directors, Regional Head Europe, Yaskawa Electric Corporation, Japan) describes the strategy thus: “We are positioning ourselves primarily by means of the added value that we offer customers with our robots.”
Accordingly, Allershausen, Yaskawa’s base for its European business activities in the field of robotics, will see particular emphasis on central functions, such as total customer support, research & development, customer-specific system adaptation and logistics. The new building will also accommodate the additional 50 employees that Yaskawa intends to take on for this by the end of 2012. At the same time, these tasks will also become more centralized.

Showcase for Europe
In addition to this practical aspect, Yaskawa also sees this new headquarters, which is visible over a large area, as a showcase for its European customers. Yasushi Ichiki (General Manager Corporate Planning Yaskawa Europe GmbH) offers this tantalizing insight: “The showroom is the highlight of the new building. It will be impressive.”

The plot covers some 14,000 square meters and is conveniently situated right by the Allershausen exit from the freeway. Some of the buildings at the previous site in the Kammerfeld industrial estate will remain in use. The outer design of the new building is based on that of the headquarters of the Yaskawa Robotics Division in Japan. The new building should be ready for use in August 2012.

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