Purchase of Functional Polymer Capacitor Business from Showa Denko
K. K.

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. has reached an agreement with Showa Denko K. K. (called Showa Denko hereafter) with regard to Murata’s purchase of functional polymer capacitor^* business (called “Business” hereafter) and closed a purchase agreement. Actual purchase will take place within the year 2009. Until actual purchase goes into effect, Murata will prepare to take over the technologies and know-how pertaining to the “Business” as well as Showa Denko’s customers, and commence marketing activities in collaboration with Showa Denko.

*Functional polymer capacitor
Capacitor using conductive polymer for its negative electrode. This capacitor is characterized by the conductivity of its negative electrode being 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than conventional electrolytic capacitors, and having low ESR.

Murata has a strong sales channel for electronic equipment worldwide, especially with passive components such as capacitors and module products. We have been expanding product lineups for monolithic capacitors, and simultaneously putting together business strategies for capacitor product domain outside of ceramic type models. Consequently, we have come to a decision to purchase the “Business” pertaining to low ESR^*, high capacitance chip-type functional polymer capacitors from Showa Denko.

As a result of this move, Murata will be promoting functional polymer capacitors produced with Showa Denko technologies through our customer network. By adding Showa Denko’s functional polymer capacitors to our existing monolithic ceramic capacitor product group, we will have a synergic effect of being able to offer optimum capacitor solutions to our customers around the world.

*ESR
Equivalent Series Resistance

Effect of this purchase to Murata’s consolidated business performance is forecasted to be insignificant.

(1) About functional polymer capacitor

Externals photograph

Spec

(2) Positioning of newly added products among high capacitance models over 1μF