YOKOHAMA, JAPAN – Zuken will invest up to $50 million over the next three years to expand its presence in North America, including the creation of a research and development lab in the Silicon Valley, the company says. The printed circuit board design software company has allocated $30 million to $50 million to establish the center, in Milpitas, CA, and for merger and acquisitions.

Zuken plans a September opening of its new innovation center, which will provide local engineering resources to the Americas' and function as a customer conduit into Zuken’s R&D organization. Up to 30 personnel will be hired by 2016 to staff Milpitas and other positions in the Americas, the company added.

"Zuken is committed to this investment and to expanding our role in the American market. Establishing an R&D center in the US provides us with a platform to better respond to the needs of our customers in the Americas," said chief operating officer Jinya Katsube.

The addition will give Zuken five R&D centers worldwide, including Yokohama, two in, Germany; and one in the UK (the former Racal-Redac site).

North America has been Zuken’s fastest-growing market over the past decade, with revenue rising 165%. Automotive and military have been very successful end-markets for the CAD company of late.

"During the past 10 years, we have steadily and consistently grown our North American business," said Zuken Americas general manager David Gullickson. "This investment represents an acknowledgement of our success and allows us to take our business to the next level. The additional resources that this investment provides will allow us to promote our technology to a broader audience within the Americas and increase our business at a more rapid rate."

“Zuken has target customers and industries in mind and staffing will be based on that,” vice president of marketing Bob Potock told PCD&F.