Yaskawa’s manufacturing and testing operation in Lappeenranta, Finland, dates back to 2014 when it acquired The Switch, which specialised in large permanent magnet machines and power conversion systems, and had originally been set up as a spin-off from Vacon and several other local companies. In 2016, Yaskawa added Wärtsilä’s marine drives business to the operation, and the site now produces systems mainly for renewable energy, high-speed and marine applications.
“The test centre is very important for us,” says Jukka-Pekka Mäkinen, president and CEO of Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch. “It will allow us to test 15MW and higher converter and machine powers. This is the way the market is evolving, with ever-increasing powers in offshore wind and the propulsion of marine vessels.”
“The centre supports the key industries that we’ve chosen to work with, as their demand for larger and larger drivetrains keeps growing,” adds Matti Nikkinen, general manager of the business.
Yaskawa’s new centre for testing large drive systems will be one of the world’s biggest
As well as the testing facility, the new building will expand Yaskawa’s production capacity for renewable and marine systems. The centre is due to be ready by the end of February.
