Toshiba to strengthen global R&D

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Toshiba Corp said Tuesday it intends to strengthen its international R&D organization and increase the number of R&D personnel at its facilities outside Japan by 750 people by the end of fiscal year 2014.

Toshiba said their main role will be in software development for social infrastructure and product development for emerging economies, and to support Toshiba’s global expansion through strategies for “total storage innovation” and “total energy innovation,” key initiatives in the mid-term business plan the company announced in May. The new hires will account for about 70% of Toshiba’s increased R&D head count in the period to FY2014.

Toshiba said it expects to see some 400 additional R&D personnel in its facilities outside of Japan, including those in India, supporting accelerated development of infrastructure for cloud-based platforms and other areas related to total storage innovation by FY2014. The company plans investments in R&D expenditure totaling 1,080 billion yen in the period FY2012 to 2014 and expect to channel some 60% to this area.

The number of R&D personnel working outside Japan to support total energy innovation is expected to grow by about 300 people by the end of FY2014. As it increases the headcount, Toshiba will also promote closer cooperation with the R&D divisions of Westinghouse and Landis+Gyr, toward establishing a global R&D system.