Yesterday on Wednesday 28 January we were pleased to attend the official opening ceremony of the new European Headquarters and TechCentre for Kobelco Construction Machinery Europe B.V. (KCME), at their beautiful new location in Lelystad, right next to the A6 highway.
It was an honor that Christa de Kemp, Managing Director of Dujat, was invited as a guest speaker to personally congratulate Mr. Makoto Kato, Founding & Outgoing Managing Director at KCME, on this wonderful milestone.
In his heartwarming speech, Kato-san recalled winning the Deshima Awards in the category “new investment” in the year 2013 at the Dujat December Dinner, and compared the completion of the longterm project building their new HQ, to creating his own Deshima, just like more than 425 years ago when the trade relationship between the Netherlands and Japan started.
With the new KCME headquarters, he has achieved a new venue for the thriving company which meets his vision of creating a space filled with innovation, culture and technology, where they can continue to grow and expand their business and connect to the community.
Christa de Kemp joined the ribbon cutting alongside Mr. Makoto Kato, Mr. Takemichi Hirakawa (New Managing Director at KCME), Mr. Hiroyuki Hosomi (Director, Executive Officer at Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.), Ms. Mieke Baltus (Mayor of Lelystad), Mr. Toon van Dijk (Regional Minister at the Province of Flevoland), Mr. Chris van Voorden (Managing Director at Horizon Flevoland), Mr. Michiel Kobussen (Architect at MK23 Architecten), and Mr. Willem Jan van de Worp (Director at Groothuis Bouwgroep).
Congratulations to Kato-san, Hirakawa-san and all of KCME on this beautiful achievement and we wish you the best of success at your new headquarters!