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Machine construction and plant engineering are among Austria's most important industrial sectors. The country ranks in the top five in the world in availability of qualified workers, with 150 plant-engineering facilities in Lower Austria alone - obvious reasons for the continuing flow of international companies locating in Austria.
One company reaping the benefits of establishing operations in Austria is the Amada group. Headquartered in Isehara of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan, Amada established its European manufacturing facility - Amada Austria - over 15 years ago. Amada's global success is highlighted in the "2000 Machine-Tool-Scorecard" survey, commissioned by the AMT Financial Bulletin. Amada ranked second in the world in terms of turnover, illustrating the fact that Amada is a global enterprise to be reckoned with in the competitive area of machine tool manufacturing. In Austria, Amada is continuing to build on this reputation for success. Situated 75 kilometers south of Vienna, Ternitz was once an old industrial town with a dwindling manufacturing industry. Since Amada Austria set up European operations in the town, hundreds of jobs have been created and the company has enjoyed a lasting and prosperous relationship with the local community. The modern production facility manufactures band saw blades and bending implements - vital components for the wide range of industrial machinery produced by the Amada group. A new factory built with a total investment of $10 million opened this year as a sign of Amada's continued commitment to Austria. Yuji Fujita, Amada Austria's managing director, explains: "Our new production facility here in Ternitz will produce carbide tipped band saw blades and we expect our total production capacity to increase by up to 40 percent." Distinguished guests such as the Ambassador of Japan to Austria - HE Akio Ijuin - Austrian politicians and company partners attended the new plant's inauguration in October. Fujita's future goals remain clearly set in Austria. "We intend to achieve our goals in accordance with our slogan 'Innovation with Creativity' and become a spirited global company by providing the best solutions for worldwide customers."
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Yuji Fujita, Amada Austria's managing director