Nikon says Thai floods trigger ‘faster’ DSLR production (update2)

In an ironic quirk of fate, the installation of ?faster? machinery at Nikon?s DSLR factory in Thailand would not have gone ahead were it not for last year?s floods, according to the head of Nikon UK.

Nikon UK managing director Michio Miwa told Amateur Photographer that new machines were brought in only after the existing machinery was ruined by two-metre high water levels at the Thai plant, which is located in the Rojana Industrial Park, Ayutthaya.

The first floor of all buildings at the premises were submerged in the disaster.

Nikon is believed to manufacture around 90% of all its DSLRs and 60% of its interchangeable lenses in Thailand.

The Ayutthaya plant normally churns out about five million DSLRs per year, and a similar number of lenses.

Miwa was speaking after a press briefing for journalists at the unveiling of the new Nikon D3200 DSLR yesterday.

Nikon told journalists that the DSLR production is now up to full capacity at the Thai plant, where the D3200 will be made.