Mitsubishi ups investment in Scottish R&D

File photo of Mitsubishi's Livingston plant. Picture: TSPL

JAPANESE industrial giant Mitsubishi is launching a new research and development facility in Scotland today.

The company’s electrical division has a base in Livingston employing about 450, and is expanding the facility to support the development of new products – which usually takes place in Japan.

The company is also celebrating 20 years of making air conditioning systems at the plant.

Mitsubishi is expected to give further details of the R&D investment at a ceremony featuring Scottish minister for energy, enterprise and tourism Fergus Ewing.

It is thought the facility will work initially on developing sustainable heating products, and will have a number of full size test houses on the site. Mitsubishi Electric has close links to Scottish universities and will work with them on its research.

Anne MacColl, chief executive of Scottish Development International, said: “Renewable energy will play a central role in Europe’s move to a low carbon economy and by promoting R&D and technological innovation in design and manufacturing from its Scottish base, Mitsubishi Electric is well placed to be a leading contributor to the low carbon agenda.”

“We’ve been working closely with Mitsubishi Electric – both at the corporate level through our office in Japan, as well as locally through our teams on the ground in Scotland – as their business has developed at the Livingston site and we look forward to working in partnership with them for many years to come.”