Hitachi Europe Ltd., launched a European Rail Research Centre to support the global growth of their Social Innovation Business in October 2012. The European Rail Research Centre is located within the Hitachi Rail Europe Ltd. office in central London and forms part of Hitachi Europe's Transportation Energy & Environment Research Laboratory, European Research Division.
The newly established European Rail Research Centre focusses on a broad range of areas, including rolling stock design (interior and exterior), manufacturing practices, maintenance and Traffic Management Systems.
Hitachi is enhancing its global research bases to promote localized research and development. Hitachi Europe already has a network of research facilities throughout Europe, consisting of the Hitachi Cambridge Laboratory, the Hitachi Design Centre Europe, the Information and Communication Technology Laboratory, and the Automotive R&D Laboratory. In April 2011, Hitachi Europe newly established the Transportation Energy & Environment Research Laboratory, expanding its European R&D activities to cover its railway, coal-fired thermal power, power electronics and automotive businesses.
Railway Systems is one of Hitachi's core business areas in Europe
Shigeru Azuhata, Executive Vice President and Executive Officer, Hitachi Group Chief Technology Officer, commented: "At Hitachi, we place huge importance on research and development, as demonstrated by our extensive laboratories around the world. With the growth of our rail business in Europe and the UK, we felt that it was paramount to establish a dedicated research facility directly where key issues in areas such as maintenance, manufacture and Traffic Management Systems will present themselves. This growth in our local capabilities will enable us to better pursue our company's global growth strategy for our Social Innovation Business.