A TECHNICAL centre has reopened in Kidderminster following a £6 million upgrade.

The state-of-the-art Amada UK centre and training facility, in Spennells Valley Road, enables engineers to showcase superior manufacturing technologies and fully support their customers.

The opening ceremony was attended by more than 100 guests, including Government officials from Japan and the UK and visitors from across Europe.

The technical centre is opening to the public this month and is equipped with a showroom for the verification process of machines, rooms for proposal and presentation to customers and a school for technical training.

Other facilities at the site include a tooling factory, 60-seat seminar theatre and an automated spare parts warehouse. The new centre will serve as a core base from which Amada carries out its activities not only in the UK but also in Spain and Scandinavia.

The Amada Group makes high-tech production machinery to support the sheet metal industry.

The three-day UK technical centre launch, attended by Amada president Mitsuo Okamoto, featured Kidderminster Mayor John Campion and representatives from the Embassy of Japan in a display of Taiko drumming and the unveiling of some new products.

Following the launch, Mr Campion tweeted: “Very proud to be part of Amada UK launch of its new showroom in Kidderminster.”

The building’s revamp is based on an eco-friendly design, featuring minimal carbon footprint due to the installation of the latest sustainable technologies.

Stourport-based Thomas Vale Construction was contracted to do the work.