It took 19 years, from 1974 – when Yaskawa introduced the first transistor inverter drives – to 1993, for the company to build its first million drives. During the 1990s, growth accelerated with new production plants being established in the US (in 1992), the UK (1993) and China (1996). By 2001, Yaskawa had built its five millionth drive. It has taken just six more years to double this total.

The international production sites – including the UK operation at Cumbernauld in Scotland – form part of Yaskawa’s strategy to globalise its corporate activities, increase its production capacity, and establish links to local markets.

Earlier this year, Yaskawa inaugurated a 12,000 m² inverter production plant at its site in Yukuhashi, Japan. There is potential for this Drive Centre to be expanded by 50%.

The 10 millionth inverter was a model from Yaskawa’s latest generation of inverters, the V1000, which it launched earlier this year. The company believes that the performance characteristics of the new family will open up additional opportunities for it in the global drives market.