Industry News
Weidmuller Opens Its Academy Asia For Training And Knowledge Networking In Shanghai Shanghai, China: Weidmuller, a provider of solutions for electrical connectivity, transmission and conditioning of power, signals and data in industrial environments, has opened a new centre for education and further training, for research and knowledge networking in Shanghai, China. In the ‘Weidmüller Academy Asia’ trainees will be taught, employees coached and technology research conducted in cooperation with universities, institutions and experts. The Academy at the headquarters of the Detmold based company was founded in 2003 and is a fixed size. The Asian offshoot has been built based on this successful model. "Academy Asia is the centre of training and knowledge networks with which we plan to build our expertise in China," said Weidmüller's CEO, Dr Peter Köhler. He continued: "The new competence and knowledge centre in Eastern Asia brings us closer to the local market – and to the people with the potential and motivation." The head of the Weidmüller Academy is Dr Eberhard Niggemann. He has built up the Academy since its launch in 2003 and its ever growing team of coaches, trainers and engineers. University and
institution partnerships, including with the Ostwestfalen-Lippe and Paderborn Universities, promote the development of new technologies. "We have already won the support of renowned universities in China, for example the Shanghai Jiaotong University and the North China Electric Power University from Beijing," Dr Niggemann said. "With our local Academy we are closer to the regional trends and requirements, and also to the potential future employees. We also increase the know-how of our Chinese employees and train them in a targeted way," he added. One of the targets in China, in conjunction with the chamber of commerce and other German companies, is to further strengthen the dual vocational training. "In Germany we have had a very positive experience with this model," Dr Niggemann summarised. "It is for this reason that we have already begun to expand it into Asia. Academy Asia will combine these efforts and further strengthen them." Other aspects are personnel development with comprehensive training programs, supporting students and young research scientists as well
as product and application training for Asian customers. "Academy Asia is a further milestone in our East Asian activities," said Volpert Briel, chief marketing and sales officer. Weidmüller has been present in China since 1994. Initially the sales structures were established and located in Shanghai. Then, in 2003, the production facility in Suzhou was opened. Since then two Chinese research and development centres have been developing new technologies for electrical connection technology and electronics. "Many companies still have concerns about the loss of know-how. Our experience shows that strengthening partnerships and relationships as well as placing manufacturing facilities and research centres locally in Asia has strengthened our group," Dr Köhler explained.
Omron Opens Automation Centre In Shanghai, China Shanghai, China: Omron Automation (China) officially opened its Automation Centre in Shanghai to serve the local automation growing business which is projected to expand at a rate of 20 percent till 2013. To commemorate the event, the company invited a Shanghai City government official to officiate the opening together with the company’s president Shigeki Fujimoto, Automation System Division manager, Shinya Yamasaki and China Automation Centre GM, Hiroshi Ujimoto. The aim of this centre is to provide 14 industrial automation asia | Dec 2011/Jan 2012
speed and reliability, shorter machine development time and to strengthen the company’s competitive advantage in the market. To achieve this objective, the company’s Automation Centre will serve as a hub to house a field application engineer to provide on-site application support and technical consultation. In addition, the centre has also set up a Tsunagi (Connectivity) Lab for conformance checking and testing to ensure every industrial component can connect with the company’s controller with ease and reliability.
The Tsunagi (Connectivity) Lab located at Omron’s recently opened Automation Centre in Shanghai, China. The Lab will be used for conformance checking and testing to ensure every industrial component can connect with the company’s controller with ease and reliability.