Toshiba's Kitakyushu Development & Evaluation Center Starts Operation in Kitakyushu

20 June, 2003


Concentration of engineers in Kitakyushu will boost
development efficiency and market position

Toshiba Corporation today announced the start of operations at its new Kitakyushu Development & Evaluation Center at Kitakyushu Operations in Kyushu, the westernmost of Japan's main islands. The new Center brings together the company's analog IC and optical device development activities. Concentration of engineers in Kitakyushu Development & Evaluation Center will allow Toshiba to raise its efficiencies in product development and design.

Construction of the new three-story Center began in November 2002 and was completed today. With a total floor area of over 7,200m2, the Center will support a staff of approximately 500 engineers. The first floor of the Center is given over to equipment for testing analog ICs, with development and design facilities on the second and third floor. The new Center also houses Kitakyushu Operation's optical devices development, including LED lamps.

Toshiba's semiconductor business strategy is centered on the ability to propose innovative solutions to customers, and so create new markets and cultivate next generation sources of growth that will secure continued global leadership. A central pillar of this strategy is the ability to develop innovative SoC (system-on-chip) in which analog ICs provide the interface for data input and output.

Kitakyushu Development & Evaluation Center brings together analog operations currently spread across the Kitakyushu site and a part of analog technology development groups located in Toshiba's facilities in Yokohama and Kawasaki. By concentrating analog process and product engineers in the same Center, Toshiba intends to create a positive work environment that encourages improved contacts and communication and stimulates closer collaboration. The location of the Center will also promote contacts with SoC product engineers, another factor that is expected to contribute to shorter time-to-market for advanced products able to meet diversifying market needs.

Outline of Kitakyushu Development & Evaluation Center

  • Start of construction : November, 2002
  • Start of operation : June, 2003
  • Building area : approximately 2,400m2
  • Total floor space : approximately 7,200m2

Outline of Kitakyushu Operations

  • Location : Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
  • Establishment : 1920
  • Employees : 1,350
  • Business areas : development and manufacturing of analog ICs and optical devices


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