Cimcorp, Murata Machinery integrate automation services in N.A.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Murata Machinery U.S.A. and Cimcorp North America, both of which work in the logistics automation spaces, are aligning operations in the Southeast and Canada to increase their North American presence.

"To optimize efficiencies, consolidate our efforts and foster a cohesive and collaborative environment, combining the best of both teams is essential for our success," said Masatoshi Wakabayashi, logistics and automation general manager at Murata Machinery, also known as Muratec U.S.A. "This formal enhancement of our existing partnership with Cimcorp further builds on Murata Machinery's long track record of integrating automation and solving customer challenges."

Wakabayashi will direct North American operations, set to begin in the fourth quarter of this year and based out of Charlotte. He will work to align strengths, technologies and collective knowledge between Muratec and Cimcorp.

Business contacts and sales roles will remain unchanged, Muratec said.

Cimcorp, based in Ulvila, Finland, specifically works in logistics and automation in the tire manufacturing space. The company has pioneered the Dream Factory concept, which allows a company to automate a portion or the entirety of its operations.

As subsidiaries of Murata Machinery Ltd., Cimcorp Group operates in seven strategic locations worldwide, including Spain and Germany.

"This integration will harness the collective strengths of Cimcorp and Murata Machinery, empowering us to unlock new opportunities and propel our growth in the North American market," said Cimcorp Group CEO Tero Peltomaki. "By joining forces, we position ourselves for a prosperous future."

Muratec and Cimcorp specifically will leverage resources across Charlotte, Atlanta, and Grimsby, Canada.

Muratec has a 50-year presence in North America, with the headquarters for Murata Machinery based in Kyoto, Japan.

Automation has become a key factor to success in production plants today. It plays a vital role for manufacturers of all kinds, including tire makers.

The task of implementing automation can be formidable for greenfield plants, and can be a daunting task for brownfield plants. And Grimsby, Ontario-based Cimcorp North America—a subsidiary of Finland's Cimcorp Oy—continues to make progress with its Dream Factory as a solution to both new operations and plants that have been around for decades.

Dream Factory is a turnkey solution for companies to use when applying automation throughout a plant.

Cimcorp's products offer a way to automate certain parts of a plant or the entire plant. It is a complete solution and comprises a physical network of interconnected hardware and a cyber network tying everything together electronically.

Cimcorp will find new efficiencies within the four walls of a plant by achieving higher utilization from existing production equipment. The company can automate individual production areas block-by-block, and offer equipment to build resilience and reduce vulnerability.