OTHER ELECTRONICS & NANOTECHNOLOGY
INDUSTRY UPDATE
August / September
2018
McIlvaine Company
Murata Builds New MEMS Sensor Fab in Finland
Murata Builds New MEMS Sensor Fab in Finland
Murata
Manufacturing, the Japanese electronics components maker, has said it will
invest five billion yen (US$45.3 million) in the construction of a new factory
in Vantaa, Finland. The investment aims to increase its MEMS (micro-electro
mechanical systems) sensor production capacity. The MEMS sensors manufactured by
Murata in Finland are used in applications such as car safety systems and
pacemakers.
A
well-established manufacturer of electronic components, Murata has been
increasing global production capacity, including its factory located in Finland.
After having recently purchased the previously leased buildings, the company
will construct a new facility of approximately 172,160 sq. ft. (16,000 sqm.) The
project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2019 and operations are
expected to commence beginning of 2020.
The build
contract has been awarded to NCC Building Finland and construction work has
started. The company said the project will see the construction of cleanrooms
ISO Classes 4
and 5.
"The market for
advanced driver-assistance systems, self-directed cars, healthcare, and other
emerging technologies are expected to be significant growth drivers. MEMS
sensors are critical solutions for these applications and deliver proven
measurement accuracy and stability in a variety of conditions," said Yuichiro
Hayata, MD for Murata Electronics Oy.
Murata acquired
the Finnish company VTI Technologies today known as Murata Electronics Oy in
2012 and it is the only factory of Murata that manufactures MEMS sensors outside
of Japan. The company said it has experienced tremendous growth over the last 10
years. The site in Finland also hosts R&D space and one of the biggest cleanroom
facilities in the country.
With the
construction of this new production building, we will significantly increase our
MEMS sensors production capacity. Moreover, by responding to the strong demand
of gyro sensors, accelerometers, and combo sensors in the automotive, industry
and healthcare fields, this will strengthen our business base in the automotive
market, industrial equipment and medical devices market, while contributing to
the economy and employment of Finland, stated Makoto Kawashima, Director of
Sensor Product Division in Murata Manufacturing.
With the factory
expansion in Finland, Murata will strengthen both R&D and manufacturing
operations with a long-term perspective for increasing utilization of this
facility. The company currently employs 1,000 people in Finland and estimates to
create 150200 new jobs in 20182019.
Murata
Electronics Oy specializes in the development and manufacture of 3D MEMS sensors
mainly for safety, critical applications in automotive, as well as in healthcare
and industrial applications.
Murata
Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is deemed a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture
and sale of ceramic-based passive electronic components and solutions,
communication modules and power supply modules. The company has employees and
manufacturing facilities throughout the world.
Isola Plans for a New Facility
Isola Group, a market leader in copper-clad laminates and dielectric prepreg
materials used to fabricate advanced multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs),
announced it has reached an agreement to sell its Chandler, AZ production
facility to Rogers Corporation. The sale does not include products,
technology or other assets related to Isola's continuing business operations.
Isola also announced plans to build a new state-of-the-art facility in the
Chandler area that will be optimized for the quick-turn PCB market that drives
much of the product innovation in North America.
"The strength of Isola lies in our local presence to our market leading
customers in North America, Europe and Asia," said Jeff Waters, President and
CEO of Isola. "Today's announcement signifies an enhanced ability to meet
demanding North American customer lead times as they race to introduce new
products with our advanced materials, like our Tachyon 100G. Paired with our
facility in South Carolina, we have complete coverage coast to coast."
Timing for the opening of the new production facility is targeted for early
2020. Isola will transition out of its existing facility over the course
of 2019 and will work closely with its customers and distributors to manage the
transition period to the new facility.
"The nature of the electronics market in North America has shifted from volume
manufacturing to new product prototyping and early stage production. Our
new facility will be optimized to quickly deliver smaller batches of our broad
product portfolio, utilizing a modern cell-based manufacturing approach," said
Waters.
About Isola
Isola Group, headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, is a global material sciences
company focused on designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing
copper-clad laminates and dielectric prepregs used to fabricate advanced
multi-layer printed circuit boards. Isola's high-performance materials are used
in sophisticated electronic applications in the communications infrastructure,
cloud computing, automotive, military, medical and aerospace markets. Isola has
over 1600 employees with technical support, sales, manufacturing and R&D
facilities in Asia, Europe and North America.
McIlvaine Company
Northfield, IL
60093-2743
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