Review of Operations

Business Overview

The Capacitors Business is the TAIYO YUDEN Group's core business. Since its founding, the Group has been engaged in development and production in this business, which currently represents about half of the Group's consolidated net sales. In recent years, the Group has proactively shifted to super high-end products in an effort to develop and produce high-quality capacitor products.

Business Performance in the Year Ended March 2013

Sales were ¥89,852 million, an increase of 8.5% year-over-year. Product sales for consumer products, i.e. televisions, were lower as compared to the previous fiscal year. This was offset by the increase in sales for communication equipment, which focused on smartphones, and electronic components, i.e. LCD panels.

Key Initiatives in the Year Ended March 2013

In multilayer ceramic capacitors, the TAIYO YUDEN Group continued its efforts from the previous fiscal year to improve its dielectric materials technology, thin-film and high capacity technology, and miniaturization capabilities. Furthermore, our multi-layering technology is approaching a 1000-layer capability, allowing the Group to successfully introduce and mass produce new capacitor products in the EIA1206 size (3.2 mm x 1.6 mm) and EIA1210 size (3.2 mm x 2.5 mm) range, both with a high capacitance of 220 μF. We applied these technologies and began mass production of an EIA0201 size (0.6 mm × 0.3 mm) product with capacitance of 2.2 μF, EIA0402 size (1.0 mm x 0.5 mm) 22 μF and an EIA0603 size (1.6 mm x 0.8 mm) product with capacitance of 47 μF. In addition, preparations are now under way to commence mass production of EIA01005 size (0.4 mm x 0.2 mm) with capacitance of 0.22 μF.

Initiatives Ahead

The TAIYO YUDEN Group is putting a framework in place for addressing growing product categories like smartphones and tablet devices in step with expanding demand. To this end, the Group is enhancing super high-end products such as small, high-capacitance multilayer ceramic capacitors, as well as low-profile multilayer ceramic capacitors.
By accelerating overseas expansion of high-end products which are made in Japan, the Group will work to optimize the use of overseas production facilities, while striving to achieve high production efficiency at all production facilities worldwide.
Furthermore, the Group will vigorously enter new fields without restricting itself to existing business domains. Particular emphasis will be put on enhancing product lineups for high-quality product markets such as the industrial equipment, automotive and healthcare industries.
In the high capacitance zone above 100 μF, we aim for further growth by promoting expansion in the multilayer ceramic capacitor market by aggressively developing our position in the electrolytic capacitor market.

Main Products

Multilayer ceramic capacitors

• EIA01005 size (0.4 mm x 0.2 mm) ultra-small multilayer ceramic capacitors
• EIA0805 size (2.0 mm x 1.25 mm) small high-capacitance multilayer ceramic capacitors
• EIA0402 size (1.0 mm x 0.5 mm) 0.22 mm thickness low profile multilayer ceramic capacitors