Motorola opens Beijing complex

Motorola Inc. on Thursday marked its 20th year in China by expanding its operations with a new research-and-development complex in Wangjing, Beijing.

Because about 35 percent of the Chinese population subscribe to cellular devices, implying a tremendous growth opportunity for handset sales, this expansion is vital to Motorola, said David Weissman, senior telecom analyst with Zacks Investment Research Inc.

"Establishing a significant presence and hiring local employees makes the case for Motorola to contend in this portentous development," said Weissman.

China will continue to be part of Motorola's strategy, Motorola Chief Operating Officer Greg Brown said in a statement.

"Today's event is another key milestone for Motorola. The inauguration of Motorola China R&D Complex will make the company better positioned to drive development of China's wireless industry and to achieve win-win results with local customers, consumers and partners," Brown said.

The new Beijing complex will house 3,000 Motorola employees, including 2,000 engineers.

It has one 16-floor office tower, three low-rise R&D buildings (three stories each) and one lab building. The complex was built in collaboration with the Chaoyang District Government of Beijing, and Zhongguancun Electronic Zone Construction Co. Ltd.

Last November, Motorola opened centers around China, South Korea and Vietnam, aiming to strengthen its hold on the booming Asian market. While the centers in Beijing, China, and Seoul, South Korea, were additional research centers, the one in Vietnam was new for the region and focused on information technology training.

Several Motorola labs will move to this latest complex, including Motorola Beijing Compliance Lab, which serves as Motorola's compliance test lab with expertise in radio frequency and audio testing; the Global Telecom Solutions Sector China Design Center; the Customer Network Resolution Center; Motorola Engineering Institute, and other labs, the company said.

Motorola has been doing research in China since 1993 when it established its first R&D lab, the Global software Group China. The company has invested about $800 million in R&D, building R&D centers and labs in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu and Hangzhou, and employing more than 3,000 people there, the company said.