TOTO Expands Semiconductor Business with JPY 80 Billion Investment

TOTO Expands Semiconductor Business with JPY 80 Billion Investment

Japan: TOTO has announced plans to strengthen its semiconductor-related business by investing JPY 80 million (USD 547 million; EUR 468 million) over the next five years. The company will allocate JPY 39 million (USD 267 million; EUR 228 million) to expand production capacity at its semiconductor component facilities in Buzen City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture, while the remaining investment will support the development of technologies for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing, including 1-nanometre processes.

The company's semiconductor business, which evolved from ceramic sintering technologies originally developed for sanitary ware production, has become its largest profit contributor. In the previous financial year, the division reported an operating profit of JPY 28.9 million (USD 198 million; EUR 169 million), an increase of 42% compared with the previous year, accounting for more than half of TOTO's total operating profit of JPY 53.8 million (USD 368 million; EUR 315 million). The company manufactures ceramic components such as electrostatic chucks and ceramic coatings used in semiconductor production equipment and is expanding the business in response to growing demand from the semiconductor industry.

Source: The Chosun Daily