Fuji Electric has given a fillip to the US-developed LonWorks networking technology by announcing plans to invest more than $4m in LonWorks this year and to dedicate more than 200 engineers and other personnel to LonWorks-related projects.

Fuji, which claims to be Japan`s largest supplier of control systems, plans to open a LonWorks training centre and will set up a dedicated LonWorks sales team.

Fuji already has a portfolio of more than 20 LonWorks-based products including inverters, circuit-breakers, and equipment for energy management and facility controls. Its largest LonWorks installation to date provides energy management and refrigeration controls for more than 8,400 7-Eleven stores in Japan.

Haruo Ito, director president of Fuji`s energy and electric systems business, says that the company has chosen LonWorks as the basis for its offerings because of the system`s "openness, versatility and cost-effectiveness".

Echelon, the US developer of the LonWorks technology, hopes that the move will boost the uptake of the networking technology in Japan.