Japanese electronics parts maker Murata Manufacturing Co. is expanding its operations in India as part of efforts to boost sales by diversifying its markets, according to company officials.
Murata Electronics (India) Pvt. Ltd., the Kyoto-based firm’s wholly owned subsidiary, has increased its sales and technical support members from five in 2010 to 32, and plans to add more, to gain traction in the electronics solution market, as well as explore opportunities in such sectors as automotive, energy and health care.
The firm is headquartered in Chennai, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, with branches in Delhi and in Bangalore, in the southern state of Karnataka.
“We are adding more value-added services for our local customers,” said Tetsuro Yoshida, senior manager of regional business development for ASEAN, India and Oceania sales and marketing at Murata Electronics Singapore (Pte.) Ltd., during the Nasscom Product Conclave — India’s largest product showcase to the world, held in Bangalore earlier this month.
“We are also focusing on the internet of things business and seeking to partner with Indian firms including startups,” he added. The company is planning to offer solutions for advanced driver assistance systems in the automotive segment, power management solutions in the energy sector, and non- or less invasive medical devices in the area of IT solutions for health care, reported the Japan Times.
In September, the Japanese firm announced the planned acquisition of Vios Medical Inc., a U.S. health care IT startup founded in 2012. Vios is currently carrying out trials to develop a device and software for monitoring heart and respiratory rates, at hospitals across the United States and India in which the IT venture holds a stake.
The buyout is a major push toward its entry into the global health care and medical fields, according to Haruo Mitsuhashi, general manager of ASEAN and India sales and marketing at the Singapore arm.
In its mid-term management plan through 2018, Murata Manufacturing has positioned automotive, energy, health care and medical fields as strategic sectors, while listing the internet of things as its potential growth driver.
