Mori Seiki’s first North American plant was the result of a combination of continuing prosperity and its expanding role as a collaborator for U.S. manufacturers, according to company President Dr. Masahiko Mori. In partnership with DMG, the new plant located in Davis, Calif. will produce mainly horizontal machining centers for customers in the United States and neighboring countries.
Speaking to an audience at IMTS 2012, Dr. Mori and his counterpart Dr. Rüdiger Kapitza, of Gildemeister AG, were enthusiastic about the flexibility and efficiency of their new operation, which has been in start-up mode since July. Mori Seiki and Gildemeister have a cross-shareholding arrangement and co-develop and co-market their machine tool technologies worldwide. The two companies have a consolidated U.S. business, DMG / Mori Seiki USA.
The $50-million, 70,000-sq.ft. project was built adjacent to the design center and Digital Technology Laboratory that Mori Seiki began developing 12 years ago. Together, the machine tool factory and the R&D center cover 291,000 sq. ft., over 19.2 acres.
For more, read "Mori Seiki Opens First U.S. Manufacturing Operation" in American Machinist.
