Mazak leads initiative to get new technology to market faster and more efficiently

Florence, Kentucky, August 27, 2009 – Mazak continues its strong and long-term commitment to innovation in product development and advanced manufacturing technology with the establishment of the new Mazak World Research & Development Center. Located in Oguchi, Japan, the center was established to reduce design-to-market time by three to five months for new products and units, including assembly, testing and evaluation. Prior to the founding of the World R&D Center, prototyping was completed at the manufacturing plant where the product was produced.

The new facility has a total of 167,000 sq.ft., with the World R&D Center occupying 73,000 sq.ft. By continuing to pursue the ”Done-in-One” concept from raw workpiece to finished product with Multi-Tasking, five-axis machining and automation systems, Mazak‘s is able to provide the manufacturing industry with highly productive, advanced technology machines that are both affordable and reliable.

Mazak's strong commitment to R&D is strategically tied with its highly advanced manufacturing plants around the world, which work to produce new products quickly and efficiently. Mazak's Technology Centers also play a key role in linking customers with continuing R&D efforts. In 2006, the Mazak World Technology Center was opened in Minokamo, Japan. The facility presents total integrated solutions through seminars and new technology machine demonstrations, and also displays many unique customer parts from various industries. Today, Mazak's 30 Technology Centers work closely with customers around the world.

"Manufacturing has fallen into an unprecedented recession, and it is imperative that machine tool manufacturers move quickly to develop highly advanced and more productive machines for customers to reduce costs and production lead time," said Brian Papke, President, Mazak Corporation. "With the World R&D Center in Japan and eight Technology Centers throughout North America, Mazak helps customers implement innovative technologies quickly and efficiently. This commitment leads small and large companies to not only streamline their production processes but also considerably improve their competitiveness."

Mazak has also established itself as the frontrunner in the adaptation of green manufacturing by designing the World R&D Center facility with a "living roof." More than 79,652 sq. ft. of moss and other plants are growing on the roof to help reduce the facility's contribution to global warming. In 2008, Mazak built The Phoenix Laboratory, an underground factory in Japan designed for the assembly of laser processing equipment. The 108,000 sq.ft. facility uses geothermal heat to control factory temperature and reduce CO₂ and electrical power consumption.

Photo Caption: Located in Oguchi, Japan, Mazak's World Research & Development Center was established to reduce the time required to design and develop new machine tools.