Akihiro Teramachi, president of the world’s leading manufacturer of linear motion systems, THK, was on hand to open the company’s newest manufacturing facility in Alsace, France. The 210,000m2 site has already created 100 new jobs and includes 16,500m2 of production space. The company also revealed plans to subsequently develop the area, employing a further 500 people by 2005 when it will become THK’s largest production centre.
The new facility will manufacture linear guides specifically for the growing European market and joins an impressive list of premises in Germany, UK, Italy, Austria and Sweden. THK now employs 4,500 people worldwide and has an annual sales turnover of £793 million.
The initial 16,500m2 production development took around eight months to complete and cost approximately £68 million. Conventional linear guides in the 15-45mm range will be initially produced, although the company revealed plans to manufacture its revolutionary Caged BallŌ system at the new facility.
Additional plans to create a technical centre with R+D facilities were also announced. This new centre will be used specifically to develop special customer requirements and provide added-value THK products and services.
Toshihiro Teramachi, President of THK Europe, said: “We are extremely pleased to announce the opening of this vital production facility which has been specially developed to meet the growing demands of the European market.”
He also said: “Our commitment is clear; we intend to fully utilise this site to develop our production capacity, improve our service to our European customers and create new jobs. This new development will strengthen our position in the European market”
