The multinational imports robots that it then customizes for sectors such as motor and logistics
Yaskawa, Japanese manufacturer of industrial robots, expands its presence in Catalonia. The company has announced the opening of a new plant in Viladecans (Baix Llobregat), which it will use to increase capacity and to provide training to the companies with which it works.
The multinational, which employs around 40 people in Spain, hopes to triple the space of its current facilities, in the neighboring municipality of Gavà, where it has its headquarters for the Iberian Peninsula. The new plant, of about 5,000 square meters, will be put into service in June.
The CEO of Yaskawa Ibérica, Laurent Bodin, explained to EXPANSIÓN that the investment has amounted to three million euros and that the ultimate goal is to double the turnover in five years, reaching 30 million euros in 2027, if well the production capacity can be tripled. The current staff could be doubled, which would mean reaching 80 people.
“The opening of this new headquarters represents our clear commitment to increase our entire range of products in Europe and grow in the Spanish market,” said Bodin, who emphasizes the need to automate production processes, especially in SMEs, to be as competitive as in Asia.
The Gavà factory, which will remain open, imports robots (manipulator arms used in industrial processes) from the factory in Slovenia and then customizes them for each client, from sectors such as food, automotive, medical and logistics.
Yaskawa has opted to increase its capacity in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, within the strategy of avoiding possible breaks in the supply chain. For this reason, it has opted for new factories in Slovenia and Turkey.
The multinational, which is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, has 14,500 employees worldwide, invoiced some 3,540 million euros in its fiscal year 2021 and obtained a net result of 280 million euros.
