Japan firm opens research centre at IIT Madras

Chennai: Japanese sheet metal machine manufacturer Amada Company has set up a research centre at the IIT Madras and donated equipment to support the research.

The Managing Director and COO of Amada, Mr Toshio Takagi, told presspersons the Amada Sheet Metal Research Centre would pursue research in sheet metal engineering. This stream of engineering assumes significance as it helps reduce use of plastics due to environmental issues. Metals can be recycled more safely than plastics.

Besides, it would enable its customers in India address practical manufacturing issues, including optimising productivity and improving machine availability time, he said.

Amada also donated laser cutting and bending machines worth Rs 3 crore to the centre. The machines have virtual prototype simulation system and would help students to have hands-on experience besides enabling them to develop upgrades of these machines in terms of application modules. Amada has been earlier associated with IIT for research, and the creation of the centre would further enhance R&D activities, he said.

Amada has two subsidiaries in India, Amada Soft India Private Ltd, which is a software development centre for the parent company, and Amada India Private Ltd for marketing and after sales service.

On the possibilities of setting up a manufacturing facility in India, he said the plan is in the initial stages but he did not want to commit to a time frame.

The company has been hit by the global slowdown and currency crisis. It would end this year with a 30 per cent drop in top line. In 2007, the company reported a turnover of $ 3 billion, he said.