IBM Expands Global Research Network into South Africa
IBM has announced plans to expand IBM Research – Africa with a new laboratory in Johannesburg beginning April 2015. It will focus on advancing Big Data, cloud and mobile technologies to support South Africa's national priorities, drive skills development and foster innovation-based economic growth. As part of a 10-year investment program through the Department of Trade and Industry, and working closely with the Department of Science and Technology, the new research facility will be based at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits).
"IBM considers two factors when deciding where to place research labs: access to world-class skills and talent and the ability to work on pressing business and societal challenges that can be best addressed through advanced information technology," said Dr. John E. Kelly III, Senior Vice President of IBM Solutions Portfolio and Research. "South Africa provides an exciting backdrop as we look to expand our research efforts in the region. Our Africa-based researchers are part of a global community of IBM scientists who are forging the future of our company and ensuring that we remain at the forefront of scientific discovery."
IBM's South Africa researchers will partner extensively with local universities, research institutions, innovation centers, start-ups and government agencies, thus bolstering South Africa's emerging innovation ecosystem and helping to develop next generation technology skills. The company has already struck up agreements with Wits University, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to collaborate on research programs and skills development.
US-Based Med-Tech Company Opens Regional HQ in Amsterdam
Stryker Corporation, a leading medical technology company, opened its European regional headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on January 28th. It will support the growth of Stryker’s global business, foster collaboration and leverage company resources. The company says the new facility serves to strengthen Stryker’s already strong presence in Europe by locating leaders in a central space to increase collaboration and communication while achieving greater operational and resource efficiencies.
“The opening of the European regional headquarters is an exciting milestone for Stryker that demonstrates our long-term commitment to Europe and our global business,” said Lonny Carpenter, Group President for Global Quality and Operations, and European Business Operations. “There is significant opportunity for growth in Europe. Stryker is committed to continuously improving our business in this region so we have established the new headquarters to support these aspirations.”
Employees with pan-European responsibilities will be based at the regional headquarters, allowing Stryker to continue to simplify and streamline processes. The centralization of operations creates more efficient ways for Stryker to bring clinical education, sales force training, and access to research and development teams to the European markets, which will result in a better customer experience.
Located in the center of Amsterdam’s Southeast business district, the approximately 59,000-sq.-ft. (5,400-sq.-m.) space features a state-of-the-art training center that can accommodate lectures as well as hands-on training for healthcare professionals and employees. Employees also enjoy the convenient location, collaborative workspace and modern amenities.
Huntsman To Expand its Singapore Polyetheramines Plant
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Feb. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntsman Corp. announced Feb. 5th it will begin construction on a 25,000-ton capacity expansion program at its polyetheramine facility in Singapore in the first half of 2015, taking total capacity to 50,000 tons. Huntsman is investing $100 million for this latest expansion at its Jurong Island facility, which will also include backward integration to produce polyethers from locally sourced feedstocks. This project is intended to help the company meet growing global demand for polyetheramines and to strengthen its leadership position in this technology.
Construction of the new facilities is expected to be completed in the second half of 2016. "We expect demand for our amines products to increase across all regions over the next decade, particularly in Asia-Pacific, where volume is set to grow by at least 10 percent per year," noted Huntsman President and CEO Peter R. Huntsman.
"Combined with our other existing polyetheramine manufacturing facilities in Conroe, Texas, and Llanelli, Wales, the expansion at our Jurong site will help us respond more quickly to customer demand, not only in the rapidly growing Asia market, but also around the globe," Stu Monteith, President of Huntsman's Performance Products division added. Polyetheramines are used as ingredients to improve the properties of many products, including paint, adhesives and composites. They can be found in everything from home decoration products, sports equipment, cars, construction materials, washing powders and specialty plastics.
Mazda Starts Production at Transmission Plant in Thailand
Mazda Powertrain Manufacturing (Thailand)
Mass production of transmissions began January 13th at Mazda Motor Corporation’s new transmission plant, Mazda Powertrain Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (MPMT), in the Chonburi prefecture of Thailand.
The SKYACTIV-DRIVE automatic transmission produced at the plant is one of Mazda's new-generation SKYATIV technologies that provide both driving pleasure and outstanding environmental and safety performance at the same time. Annual production capacity at MPMT is around 400,000 units. In combination with its Hofu Plant in Japan, the new plant will raise Mazda's annual production capacity to approximately 1,540,000 units globally. Transmissions produced at MPMT will be supplied to global production facilities including Auto Alliance (Thailand) to be used in the all-new Mazda2 (Mazda Demio in Japan), all-new Mazda3 (Mazda Axela) and Mazda CX-5.
At the commencement of production, MPMT President and CEO Hidenori Kawakami commented, "We've made great efforts to ensure the manufacture of high quality units at MPMT, including sending more than 30 engineers and managers to Mazda's plants in Hiroshima and Hofu. Start of mass production here means that Mazda has succeeded in establishing a global production structure capable of supplying SKYACTIV-DRIVE automatic transmissions of the same high quality of those we make in Japan. Moving forward, Mazda will continue to nurture the people who will support and lead the future of the automotive industry in Thailand and work hand in hand with the people of this country to make a contribution to the further development of the Thai economy.”
The establishment of a global production footprint is one of the key measures of Mazda's Structural Reform Plan announced in February 2012. The company has been making steady progress in this regard, and start of transmission production at MPMT marks another important milestone. In addition, Mazda is introducing vehicles equipped with SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY according to schedule and expects SKYACTIV models to account for over 85% of sales by fiscal year ending March 2016.
Emerson Opens a Singapore Analytical Manufacturing and Integration Center
Emerson Process Management opened its first manufacturing and integration center in Asia for its Rosemount Analytical technologies in November 2014 with support from the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). Representing an investment of over US$11 million, this new facility is an addition to Emerson’s existing Southeast Asia Service Center in Singapore that opened in 2008. The new center will produce and distribute analytical and combustion sensors, engineer and design complete analyzer-based solutions and develop and produce customer-specific systems and products. Emerson Process Management’s Rosemount Analytical solutions and services are widely used in the oil and gas production and petrochemical industries. These industries are experiencing significant growth and driving demand for Emerson’s solutions in Southeast Asia.
“Our customers depend on speed of service and expert collaboration to solve their toughest problems and achieve operational excellence,” said Sabee Mitra, president of Emerson Process Management, Asia Pacific. “Our new facility is centrally situated in Singapore where it is close to customers and serves them with locally stocked or produced analytical products, engineering and lifecycle support services.” Expected to employ 65 people by the end of 2015, the center’s team will include engineering, quality control and information technology professionals. Manufacturing will be operational by early 2015 for key analytical instrumentation products to serve Asia Pacific and other markets. Products planned for Singapore production initially include liquid and combustion analysis sensors as well as accompanying instrumentation. Future plans include manufacturing of the gas detector product line, as well as gas chromatographs and process gas analyzers.
A Center of Excellence, Too
Emerson Process Management also opened its first regional Pervasive Sensing Center of Excellence in Singapore in late 2014. The center will employ approximately 50 people. With an investment of US$10 million, this is the company’s first such center globally. Emerson’s “pervasive sensing” strategy combines the company’s leadership in sensor and wireless technologies for industrial process facilities with its application expertise and data analytics to provide better and actionable data that extends beyond traditional process controls to other functions, such as site safety and energy management.
Combined with the company’s extensive Asia-Pacific local service capabilities, the Center enables the company to remotely perform data collection, analysis, and consulting for Asia-Pacific customers. These services help the process manufacturing industries meet their operational goals without having to add additional resources, conduct costly training and manage maintenance procedures for new automation technologies.
Emerson is working with major customer facilities on Jurong Island to initiate energy efficiency, reliability and productivity services, with the intent of reinforcing Jurong Island’s reputation as the location for some of the safest, most productive and energy efficient industrial facilities in the world. The three-part rollout of the center will expand Emerson’s pervasive sensing services through pilot projects, then throughout Jurong Island and ultimately beyond Singapore.
