OREANDA-NEWS. Seiko Epson Corporation (TSE: 6724, "Epson") today announced that Group company Epson Atmix Corporation will construct a new factory at its Kita-Inter Plant. Epson Atmix, located in the city of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, is the world's leading manufacturer of superfine alloy powders*1. In September the company concluded an agreement to acquire a 10,000 m2 lot adjoining the Kita-Inter Plant. Epson Atmix will invest a total of 1.2 billion yen in the new factory. Preparations for construction are now underway, with factory construction planned to begin in March 2016. The factory is scheduled to begin operations in April 2017.

The Kita-Inter Plant, which came online in October 2013, produces superfine alloy powders used in the production of high-performance precision components for vehicles, smartphones, tablet PCs, wearable products, medical equipment, and a wide variety of other products. Annual market demand is growing, and this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

The new factory will be outfitted with a new production line for back-end processes including powder treatment*2, packaging and shipping alloy powders, and will help to raise overall production efficiency by working in tandem with existing atomization processes. It will approximately double the company's current superfine alloy powder treatment capacity to more than 10,000 tons and provide even greater supply stability. The additional capacity will also enable Epson Atmix to significantly reduce lead times, from order to shipping.

Epson Atmix is committed to leveraging its unique metal powder manufacturing technology to continue to create customer-pleasing, trusted products and services.

Epson Atmix Kita-Inter Plant profile (after new factory construction)

Address 2 Hachinohe Kita-Inter Industrial Park, Aomori Prefecture
Manufactured products Superfine alloy powders (magnetic powder and MIM powder*3)
Floor area Approximately 5,300 m? of factory floor space on a 30,600 m? lot

Epson Atmix profile

Name Epson Atmix Corporation
Address 4-44 Kaigan, Aza, Kawaragi, Hachinohe, Aomori, Japan 039-1161
President Fumiaki Akahane
Beginning of operations October 1, 1999
Employees Approximately 280
Capital 450,000,000 yen (Epson Atmix is a wholly owned subsidiary of Seiko Epson Corporation)
Businesses Development, manufacture, and sales of metal alloy powders, metal injection molded parts, and synthetic quartz crystals

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to driving innovations and exceeding customer expectations in printing, visual communications, quality of life and manufacturing. Epson's lineup ranges from inkjet printers, printing systems and 3LCD projectors to industrial robots, smart glasses and sensing systems and is based on original compact, energy-saving, and high-precision technologies.
Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises nearly 70,000 employees in 94 companies around the world, and is proud of its contributions to the communities in which it operates and its ongoing efforts to reduce environmental burdens.