Fuji Xerox Begins Construction of New R&D Center at
“Minato Mirai 21” in Yokohama City
Invests 60 Billion Yen Aimed at Creating New Values
for Customers From Customers’ Perspective
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TOKYO, March 17, 2008 – Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. will have a groundbreaking ceremony on March 23 at Section 65 at “Minato Mirai 21” (Mm21) in Yokohama City, Kanagawa, where the company plans to construct its new R&D site. |
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As part of structural reforms of development and production, Fuji Xerox transferred production operations, particularly the assembly lines of the Ebina Center (Ebina City, Kanagawa), primarily to Shanghai and Shenzhen, China in November 2004. Following this move, Fuji Xerox will concentrate existing R&D bases by constructing the new urban site to reinforce collaboration in R&D functions that transcends the boundaries of technological fields, while improving product development lead time as well as boosting cost efficiency in R&D. The new site will also strengthen ties between customers and Fuji Xerox’s R&D/development departments, ultimately to swiftly meet market needs and deliver better products to the market. |
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The new site is based on the concept of “creating new values for customers from customers’ perspective”, with a focus on the next age. Fuji Xerox will build a structure that enables high-quality joint creations with customers and partners, to identify challenges customers are facing in a timely manner, as well as to enhance values provided to customers by practicing them internally. |
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For that purpose, the R&D site seeks to capture the essence of new urban dynamism inside Mm21, and maximize synergistic effects with this dynamism through “open and collaborative creation”. Abbreviating “Collaborative Innovation Tower in Yokohama”, the site will be dubbed “CITY”. |
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The lower levels of the structure will be a “portal zone” used to greet customers. The middle levels will include a “jamming zone” and a “shared work zone” facilitating dialog and idea exchange with customers. These areas aim to recreate the work environment of the customer, verify functional requirements and examine hypotheses in order to create values for the customer. The upper levels will incorporate a “private zone” with product concept rooms. |
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In addition, high-speed lines of communication with the Ebina Center, Fuji Xerox’s manufacturing R&D site, will ensure the two centers work as an integrated whole, which in turn will promote the creation of a global network where knowledge can be gathered and concentrated. The upshot of these efforts will be the swift provision of high-value-added products and services to customers. |
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Existing R&D sites currently dispersed across several locations will be concentrated fundamentally into the new site and Ebina Center. The R&D functions will be integrated mainly at the new site in a step-wise manner, while Ebina Center remains to be a key manufacturing R&D site. |
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| Investment total |
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Approx. 60 billion yen |
| Location |
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65 Section, Minato Mirai 21, Yokohama City, Kanagawa
6-1, Minato Mirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa |
| Lot size |
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Approx. 14,600m2 |
| Structure (planned) |
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20 floors |
| Total floor space (planned) |
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Approx. 134,500m2 |
| Capacity |
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Max. approx. 5,200 people |
| Purpose for use |
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As R&D site |
| Seller of land |
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Urban Renaissance Agency |
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| Start of construction |
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March 23, 2008 |
| Planned end of construction |
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Around March 2010 |
| Planned start of operation |
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Around April 2010 |
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| Existing sites will either be moved or used for other purposes (under examination). |
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