Amada to build laser manufacturing center in California

Mitsuo Okamoto, president and CEO of Amada Co., Ltd., has announced plans to broaden the company's global manufacturing capabilities. In addition to its manufacturing centers located in Japan and France, Amada has unveiled plans to build manufacturing centers in China and the U.S. The new facilities are strategically positioned to help the company better serve its worldwide customer base. Construction of these plants is part of a newly formed business plan to further enhance production, sales, and service to cost-effectively keep up with the demands of local markets.

The first phase of Amada's plan includes building a major manufacturing center southwest of Los Angeles in Brea, CA. The new manufacturing facility is scheduled for completion in April of 2012 and will become one of the company's mainstay manufacturing plants. Amada plans to spend approximately $73 million to purchase, retool and expand the Brea plant. The 180,000 sq. ft. facility will also include an additional 60,000-sq.-ft. build-out — enabling the company to manufacture its laser cutting systems at a rate of 250 machines per year.

In addition, Amada's 104,000 sq. ft. Buena Park facility will undergo extensive renovation as it continues to serve as the headquarters for Amada America, Inc. The newly renovated site will also serve as an advanced Los Angeles Technical Center (LATC) where machines and systems can be demonstrated and verified in real time. The LATC will work in tandem with the Amada Solution Center in Schaumburg, Ill., to provide convenient access for customers located on either the east or west coast.