Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), a global manufacturer of transportation and aerospace-related products, and the maker of Subaru automobiles, today announced establishment of the Subaru Visitor Center in the Gunma Yajima Plant (Ota City, Gunma Prefecture), the main production base of the company's automotive operations, Subaru Automotive Business.

At the Subaru Visitor Center, visitors to the Yajima Plant for plant tour and other purposes will be provided with a comprehensible explanation about Subaru's brand philosophy and identity as well as the brand's history and unique technologies.

The two-story 3,203-square-meter building houses an entrance atrium where Subaru's major technologies are exhibited, an orientation hall that seats 204 people, an exhibition hall that serves as a multipurpose space capable of exhibiting up to 14 Subaru cars, the technology laboratory where visitors can learn about Subaru's unique technologies, and the recycling laboratory that introduces Subaru's environmental efforts. With these facilities, the Subaru Visitor Center gives an introduction about manufacturing of Subaru cars.

An elevated pathway called "Sky Bridge" has been established for smooth transportation among the Visitor Center, vehicle body welding plant and parts assembly plant.

The Subaru Visitor Center improves visitor accommodation and increases the annual capacity of plant tour visitors to the Yajima Plant from the current 60,000 to 100,000.

We have been receiving many applications for plant tours as part of school teaching since the automobile plant is dealt with in the social studies class in elementary schools. By meeting such requests more actively than ever, we would like to play a role as a member of the society.

Today, July 15, is the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Fuji Heavy Industries, which was founded in 1953. The Subaru Visitor Center was established as part of the company's 50th anniversary celebration.