KYOTO, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kyocera Corporation (hereinafter: Kyocera) today announced plans to build a new Center for Development (tentative name; hereinafter, the Center) at its Shiga Yasu Campus in Japan, where the company will consolidate production engineering and development functions. The new Center will strengthen manufacturing capabilities through stronger collaboration among Kyocera’s diverse business divisions, while training new generations of engineering leaders.
Drastic changes in the business environment now compel manufacturers to implement new strategies for raising productivity and improving product quality by deploying AI and robots; tackling carbon neutrality; and training employees to master digital technologies and data analysis.
Kyocera plans to raise its capabilities to a new level in production engineering through developing state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies, promoting smart factories by adopting automated and optimized production processes, investing in engineering skills development, building digital transformation expertise, and sharing knowledge among divisions.
Within this context, the company envisions the new Center as a gathering place for production engineers from all major Kyocera manufacturing sites. Key objectives will include strengthening and accelerating development of core technologies and manufacturing processes at Kyocera’s components businesses, while creating a new space for engineers from each business division to engage in co-creation, information-sharing, and technological training.
The Center is planned to have six floors. The first through third floors will feature spaces for production process and equipment development, including pilot production lines for new technologies in ceramic molding, dispersion, mixing, firing, and laser processing for components manufacturing. Special emphasis will be placed on optimizing manufacturing processes to achieve carbon neutrality. The fourth to sixth floors will include offices, co-creation cafes, and training spaces both for newly hired engineers and for employees who need to learn the digital transformation skills necessary for operating smart factories.
In addition, the Center will collaborate closely with Kyocera’s three R&D bases in Japan, including the Minato Mirai Research Center, Keihanna Research Center, and Kirishima R&D Center, to strengthen the manufacturing capabilities of the Kyocera Group.
Overview of the Center |
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Name |
Center for Development at Kyocera Corporation Shiga Yasu Campus (tentative name) |
Location |
Ichimiyake 800, Yasu-shi, Shiga Prefecture, Japan |
Total investment |
Approximately 13 billion yen (approx. 91 million U.S. dollars) |
Building footprint |
4,871 m2 (52,431 ft2), one building in steel construction with 6 stories |
Floor area |
26,766 m2 (288,107 ft2) |
Construction schedule |
Begin construction: August, 2023
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Major activities |
－Development of core technologies and production processes in components business
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Kyocera Corporation (TOKYO:6971, https://global.kyocera.com/), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine ceramics (also known as “advanced ceramics”). By combining these engineered materials with metals and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of industrial and automotive components, semiconductor packages, electronic devices, smart energy systems, printers, copiers, and mobile phones. During the year ended March 31, 2023, the company’s consolidated sales revenue totaled 2 trillion yen (approx. US$15.1 billion). Kyocera is ranked #671 on Forbes magazine’s 2023 “Global 2000” list of the world’s largest publicly traded companies, and has been named among “The World’s 100 Most Sustainably Managed Companies” by The Wall Street Journal.
