A new CC-Link Partners Association (CLPA) office has been opened in Turkey to serve a region expected to see sustained industrial growth for the next decade or more.
This move expands the global network of existing CLPA offices, which already includes China, Germany, Japan, North America, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, India and the United Kingdom.
CC-Link is one of the world’s foremost open industrial automation network technologies and the CLPA is the organisation responsible for the development and promotion of the network worldwide. Its 2,000 plus partners include manufacturers of CC-Link products, users and other interested parties such as universities and system integrators. The network’s global installed base has exceeded 12 million devices, with close to 300 companies offering over 1,300 CC-Link products.
Turkey is seen as a vital link in the development of the global economy, connecting Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Eastern European regions. Its economy has grown at above 5 percent per year for over a decade, a development level that is expected to continue well into the long term future.
Manufacturing is a strategic part of its economic expansion plan, with state-of-the-art automation being used to ensure world-class quality, safety and productivity levels. It already has a base of established traditional industries and is focusing on creating new modern sectors such as automotive and household appliances.
Turkey has been known for centuries as the entryway to Asia, as it provides a land-based trade route between Europe and Asia. This matches with a long-running objective of the CLPA, which runs a successful programme called Gateway to Asia (G2A), designed to help entry into, and subsequent business development in, the booming markets of Asia. Hence the opening of the new Turkish office provides the CLPA with both a metaphorical and literal Gateway to Asia. It also provides coverage across literally the whole of the continent, from Turkey in the west, to Japan in the east.
The new CLPA office was officially launched at this year’s WIN Automation fair in Istanbul, in front of visitors and exhibitors from around the world. As well as delegates from Europe, America and the Far East, the fair attracted visitors from Albania, Algeria, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Jordan, Serbia, Tunisia, Uzbekistan and Yemen.
Over 100 guests attended the opening ceremony, including CC-Link partners, Turkish manufacturers and universities as well as leading members of the Turkish industrial media. The ceremony was opened by Mr. Masahiro Fujisawa, president of Mitsubishi Electric Turkey and featured various presentations by key CLPA and Mitsubishi Electric figures, some of whom had flown in from Japan especially for the occasion. Leading Turkish industry figures also made presentations. The key speakers were; Ms. Naomi Nakamura, global director of the CLPA, Mr. Haruyuki Otani, senior manager, Embedded Network Technology Department at Mitsubishi Electric and CLPA Technical Task Force chairperson, and Dr. Eng. Kazuhiro Kusunoki, senior manager in the FA Systems Department at Mitsubishi Electric and CLPA board member. These presentations covered the advantages offered by CC-Link and CC-Link IE, as well as how CC-Link’s technical features deliver benefits to industry. Other presentations included an overview of the major Marmaray tunnel project for which SIMS (Station Information Management System) control in the stations depends on CC-Link, by Mr. Nurettin Gecgel of Mitsubishi Electric. Finally, the ceremony closed with a review of Industry 4.0 by Mr. Sedat Sami Omeroglu, chairman of the Turkish industrial automation manufacturers association (ENOSAD). John Browett, General Manager of CLPA Europe, also attended.
Tolga Bizel has been recruited to run CLPA Turkey. He outlined his future plans as: “We will promote CC-Link through a number of different activities. These include organising marketing events such as exhibitions, seminars, websites, brochures, advertisements, etc. We will also develop opportunities across a broad spectrum of industries by nurturing a network of partners. ”
John Browett, general manager of CLPA-Europe commented, “As a nation Turkey is committed to industrialising and developing a modern, vibrant economy that will be an important member of the global community. This is an exciting time to be working in this nation and the CLPA looks forward to playing its part in the development of the Turkish industrial base to a world class standard.”
