Toshiba is to expand its foreign R&D facilities by 750 people by the end of March 2014.
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 storage innovation and energy innovation.
In its mid-term business plan of strategies and goals for the period to the end of FY 2014,Toshiba gives centre stage to promoting total storage innovation–businesses related to Big Data and cloud solutions and services–and total energy innovation–businesses related to power supply and the realisation of the Smart Community concept.
Toshiba 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$12.6m in the period FY2012 to TF2014 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.
The number of researchers engaged in basic research will also be increased,by approximately 50.
In parallel with these moves,Toshiba will also reinforce its intellectual property strategy by increasing the ratio of overseas patent applications from the current 50%of all applications to 70%in FY2014.
This will enhance IP security at the global level and support the company in seeking to raise income by licensing IP by 1.3 times.
Advanced storage systems based on Toshiba's capabilities in NAND flash memory,HDD and SSD address ther markets for data centres and cloud-based platforms supporting new services and solutions for healthcare,the retail sector and other areas.
Under its energy innovation initiative,Toshiba intends to deliver a mix of power generating systems,including thermal,nuclear and renewable energy,and promote smart grid and smart community solutions,including BEMS(Building Energy Management System)and HEMS(Home Energy Management System),that optimize transmission and distribution and energy management on both the supply and demand sides.
