Material Handling Training Center in Asia Okura Opens $500,000 Training Center in Singapore Okura has opened a $500,000 training center in Singapore, our first such center outside Japan. The new “regional center of excellence” would provide engineering training to the engineers of our overseas affiliated companies and the firms' clients. The training includes the operation, maintenance and customizing of the material handling systems in order to upgrade the level of our engineering staff as the increase of highly-developed systems with robot palletizer, sorter, and picking system being sold in the region. Okura's overseas affiliated companies in Asia are OFAS (Okura Flexible Automation Systems) Singapore, which has been the headquarters for our operations in China, ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand, OFAS Malaysia and Shanghai Okura Yusoki. Although a couple of Japanese engineers are stationed at each office, engineering, installation and maintenance are generally carried out by local staff. With the opening of the center, we will enhance credibility with our customers through educating our local engineers and bolster competitiveness in the area. The center is located within OFAS Singapore office, and various devices such as robot palletizer are installed as the training materials. The 130 sq m center, which started operations last month, will be used as a show-room as well. Mr. Okura discussing the roll of the center with the local interviewer Robot Palletizer A1600 installed as one of the training materials