Yamaha moves into bigger facility

Yamaha's SMT division is moving aggressively into the market for high-speed equipment following acquisition of the Hitachi High Technologies chip-mounter business. The company also continues to develop its established product ranges, and has introduced additional new mounter, inspection and printer systems. These new models have helped increases net sales in 2014 by 20 percent and operating income by 63.8 percent, a press release states. Now, to enhance efficiency and accommodate further expansion, the IM Business Units are to consolidate the operations of their current three Hamamatsu sites at a new, larger, combined R&D and manufacturing facility. This new center of operations, located in the Toyooka-cho, Kita-ku area of Hamamatsu, is already under construction and will open in 2017. It has three levels plus a mezzanine, giving total floor space of 53,700m2. “Yamaha Motor IM is positioned strongly as the SMT market enters a new phase that places growing demand for advanced technologies,” said Mr. Soichiro Kamijima. “Sustained investment in developing and expanding our product range now enable us to lead in this resurgent environment. The new facilities in Japan will add strength to our capabilities and customer-support services.”