Murata is celebrating 15 years of mercury-free watch battery production at its battery business unit. Mercury is an environmental pollutant which is very harmful to wildlife and ecosystems with atmospheric deposition playing a significant role in the mercury contamination of water sources such as lakes. Exposure to mercury is also detrimental to human health and puts developing foetuses and young children particularly at risk.
Murata’s engineering legacy stretches back over four decades. Its ISO9001/ISO14001 approved micro battery factory (acquired from SONY in 2017) started production of silver oxide batteries in 1977. The world’s first mercury-free silver oxide battery was invented there in 2004, with mass production commencing in 2005. To date, Murata has produced over 4 billion units of mercury-free silver oxide micro-batteries, saving 3200 kg of mercury from potentially leaking into the environment from spent batteries.
Murata is widely recognised by major watch brands as the manufacturer with the highest market share in watch batteries. The company is further strengthening its position in the global micro battery market by establishing its own product brand for watch batteries, the SR series, which was launched in 2019.
Murata now offers an expansive portfolio of micro-battery solutions supporting an ever-broadening array of different applications. These include tyre pressure monitoring and vehicle keyless entry for automotive applications; insulin pumps and capsule endoscopy for medical devices; and sensor nodes and tracking devices for IoT applications.
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Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and sale of ceramic-based passive electronic components & solutions, communication modules and power supply modules. Murata is committed to the development of advanced electronic materials and leading edge, multi-functional, high-density modules. The company has employees and manufacturing facilities throughout the world. For more information, visit Murata's website at www.murata.com