Two industrial world leaders extend North American partnership

The Lincoln Electric Company, the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of arc welding products, has been named the preferred supplier of welding power sources to Asian customers of FANUC LTD.  FANUC is the world’s leading supplier of industrial robots.

Lincoln and FANUC Robotics America, Inc., a subsidiary of FANUC LTD in Japan, have worked cooperatively throughout North America marketing robotic welding systems and developing new technologies since 1990.  An agreement extending the partnership into Asia was signed at Lincoln’s world headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio.

“This is an important and proud step in Lincoln’s relationship with FANUC,” said Chris Bailey, general manager of Automation for Lincoln Electric.  “We are proud to extend our partnership into Asia so that together, both companies can provide unparalleled technology and service to the fastest growing region in the world.”

In conjunction with the agreement, Lincoln is investing more than $40 million into a new 115,000-square-foot facility in Euclid, Ohio, focused on the research and development of robotic welding systems and technology for worldwide distribution.   

The new Robotic Welding Center will be housed in a facility adjacent to the company’s suburban Cleveland headquarters.  Slated for full renovation, the building formerly was a manufacturing site acquired from Hitachi Construction Truck Manufacturing Ltd.

With more than 800 current Lincoln employees directly related to machine and robotic technology, the staff is expected to increase due to the expanded new center and the Asian agreement with FANUC LTD.