FIT Additive Manufacturing Group and Mitsui & Co. Machine Tech Ltd., a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Mitsui & Co., Ltd. have announced their cooperation in Japan. The partnership aims to provide Japanese manufacturing companies with the additive manufacturing solutions of FIT, the German AM specialist.
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Back row, from left: Alexander BONKE (CEO FIT Production GmbH), Carl FRUTH (CEO FIT Additive Manufacturing Group), Albert KLEIN (CFO/CSO FIT Additive Manufacturing Group) |
The partnership was announced at the German-Japanese Additive Manufacturing Forum, which was hosted by the German Chamber of Commerce in Japan.
Mitsui Machine Tech will propose to its Japanese customers FIT's engineering, project management, and manufacturing services in close cooperation with FIT Production GmbH and FIT Japan K.K., both subsidiaries of FIT AG. Furthermore, Mitsui Machine Tech and FIT will provide FIT's extensive additive manufacturing solutions to those Japanese customers who wish to invest into their own additive manufacturing capacity. Japanese customers can therefore now access the long-standing expertise of the FIT Additive Manufacturing Group through a trusted manufacturing partner in Japan.
Japan focuses on Additive Manufacturing
Japanese companies are increasing their activities in additive manufacturing, witnessed by a three-year joint research and development project between Toyota Motor Corporation and FIT, the results of which were also presented at the Additive Manufacturing Forum in Tokyo. With their partnership, FIT und Mitsui Machine Tech intend to address the fast-growing Japanese additive manufacturing market and assist Japanese manufacturers in their approach to additive manufacturing by providing proven solutions.
Trust and expertise
Carl Fruth, CEO of FIT, said, „The cooperation of Mitsui Machine Tech and FIT offers Japanese customers the combination of trust and expertise. This is essential during the introduction of new technologies. We have developed a well-defined set of services in the additive design and manufacturing of final products and volume parts, and now Mitsui Machine Tech and FIT offer this to the Japanese market. Our cooperation with Mitsui Machine Tech fills us with pride and joy. We have high expectations as to the results.” Osamu Shinohara, president of Mitsui Machine Tech Ltd. said, „We are very glad to work together with FIT, an esteemed and leading company of additive manufacturing in the world. We are sure that it is very good time to start the service in Japan, and that we could provide our customers with valuable solutions based on FIT's expertise.”
About FIT Additive Manufacturing Group
The FIT Additive Manufacturing Group is an international leading industry partner in the field of Additive Manufacturing. As a technology pioneer with around 25 years of experience, the company manufactures prototypes, production tools, 3D printed spare parts, as well as additively manufactured end components for a rich variety of verticals. The AM expert makes the entire chain of 3D printing available, from additive design and engineering through to production and professional finishing options. In addition, FIT also provides numerous conventional technologies such as CNC-milling, injection molding, vacuum casting, or elastomer manufacturing. Group revenue in 2018 was around EUR 25 million. FIT Additive Manufacturing Group currently employs 280 people, most of them at the company’s headquarters in Lupburg, Germany, but also in Brasov (Romania), Zhukovsky (Russian Federation), as well as in Nagoya (Japan), and Peoria (USA).
About MITSUI & CO. MACHINE TECH LTD.
MITSUI MACHINE TECH LTD. offers variety of factory equipment such as machine tools, injection molding machines and industrial robots. The company also provides various engineering solutions including process design, selection of suitable machines, design of automation system and turn-key solution with proper jigs and tools. With 50 years plus history, 7 domestic and 4 oversea offices and 170 plus employees, MITSUI MACHINE TECH LTD. got more than 2,000 active customers and achieved sales about J.YEN40 billion (EUR 325 million) in the financial year of 2018. Its shareholder, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., is one of leading conglomerates in Japan.
