Soundcraft Studer Opens Console Technology Centre In Switzerland

Harman's mixer group, Soundcraft Studer, is formalising its centres of expertise, increasing production capacity and placing additional focus on New Product Introduction (NPI).
Andy Trott, President of Soundcraft Studer, explained: "We're at advanced stages with our ambitious plans for new products across both our brands; this move will enable us to bring digital products to market faster and more cost-effectively."
Part of Harman's strategy is to focus on centres of expertise; currently the majority of our digital R&D is done in Switzerland with an excellent communications infrastructure linking the UK leg of the team which will remain in Potters Bar.
"However, we're still manufacturing consoles across two countries, adding time and cost - that doesn't make operational or financial sense," he continued.
"So, we're relocating R&D and associated NPI and Support functions to a new facility very close to our current building in Regensdorf, near Zurich, Switzerland. This will form our Console Technology Centre which will focus on digital console development, advanced user interfaces, routers, networking and communications technologies and ongoing development of existing products. The organisation will continue to report to Studer General Manager, Juergen Bopst. This move presents us with the ideal opportunity to bring our production facilities together under one roof, so from January 2010 all Vista and OnAir 3000 consoles will be produced in the UK."
Following its $7 million refit four years ago, the Potters Bar factory has been the group's centre of excellence for PCB assembly and has produced many boards for the Vista and OnAir consoles for several years; by transferring final assembly and test, these high-end consoles can be manufactured on one site far more effectively. Andy Trott continued: "Assembling and configuring Vista, Route 6000 and OnAir systems is quite a specialised job, so we are bringing key Swiss staff over to manage the transition and ensure we maintain our high quality standards, in addition we've just placed recruitment adverts in the international audio press to fill the 18 additional new roles this will create."
The Potters Bar facility will also expand its existing customer centre with the addition of a new broadcast studio, an acceptance test studio and a training suite. Those interested in a career at Soundcraft Studer should check the recruitment on the websites: www.studer.ch and www.soundcraft.com.
(KMcA/BMcC)