Mitsubishi to ship machines directly from Japan

MHI Injection Molding Machinery Inc. (Mitsubishi; Bensenville, IL) announced a streamlining of its North American sales operations on Feb. 18, with the biggest change entailing the elimination of machine stock in the U.S. in favor of deliveries direct from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Plastic Technology in Japan. Mitsubishi said in a release that the structure of Mitsubishi’s U.S. network of regional sales managers and sales representatives would also be affected, without laying out specific impacts. Contacted by MPW, Tom Geddes, general manager of Mitsubishi’s engineering department, said the move, which will be effective April 1, will mostly affect some regional staff and administrative positions in the Bensenville office. In terms of the impact of shipping machines from Japan vs. keeping some inventory stateside for North American sales, Geddes said the current lead times for direct shipment of presses from Japan are approximately three months for machines up to 300 tons, with a four-to-eight-month lead time for machines ranging from 390 to 4400 tons. In the release, Kiyoshi Ikuta, president MHI Injection Molding Machinery, stressed machines purchased before or after the move will “continue to receive the same level of parts, warranty and post-warranty service and support as they have received in the past.”

Geddes declined to offer a specific figure for the number of people that will be affected by the moves. According to the company’s website, Mitsubishi splits North and Central America into six regions, with one regional sales manager for each. Mitsubishi’s parts and warehouse organization includes seven employees, and counting the Eastern, Central, and Western U.S. regions, Mitsubishi’s service group includes 13 employees, with two working in Japanese support and three individuals in engineering support roles.

In addition to the MMJ hydro-mechanical presses (610, 720, 950, 1200 tons), Mitsubishi’s offers the all-electric MEtIII (55, 110, 150, 200, 300 tons), MEII (950, 1200, 1600 tons), em Series (950, 1200, 1600 tons), and the Super-Large em (3300, 3900 tons). The company advertises having approximately $3.5 million of on-hand parts inventory, with 24-hour shipping of most orders. A technology joint venture between America’s Natco and Japan’s Mitsubishi to develop injection molding machines, MHI started U.S. operations in 1989. In addition to its North American headquarters in Bensenville, IL, MHI also operates a technical center in Corona, CA. In April 2005, the company’s Japanese parent, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., was spun off from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. —[email protected]