Epson Absorption-Type Merger of Subsidiary Company and Debt Waiver

Seiko Epson announced to decide absorption of subsidiary company Epson Imaging Devices (EID). As part of this resolution, Epson will also waive some debts owed by EID.

EID became a 100% subsidiary company of Epson in December 2006 after being initially established as a joint venture involving the company's small-and medium-sized LCD business in October 2004. EID undertook a realignment of its small- and medium-sized display business and effectively terminated the business by transferring operations to another company in 2011.

Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display developed a new type IPS-TFT-LCD with mega contrast ratio

Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display announced to develop a new type IPS-TFT-LCD with mega contrast ratio by built-in of light control cell, which has control function of light intensity from back-light with respect to each cell.

In this panel, high brightness (maximum 1000 cd/m²) is realized, too. It's useful for high-end monitor such as broadcasting system, medical system, and automobile system use. And also, it can be produced by the existence production line.

Toppan Printing and Ortus Technology take over Taiwan's small and medium size TFT-LCD maker

Toppan Printing and Ortus Technology, which is a subsidiary company of Toppan, announced to take over Taiwan's small and medium size TFT-LCD maker “Giantplus Technology”, and also, to acquire ownership of Giantplus. At November 24th, both companies will sign share assignment agreement with Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT), which is a mother company of Giantplus, and acquire all stocks (53.67％) of CPT's stock holdings.

Ortus is producing small and medium size TFT-LCD for industry system use in G1 mass-production line (320×400mm) at the present moment. The company strengthens cost competitive edge by making use of G3 (550×670mm) and G4 (680×880�o) line of Giantplus. As a result, Ortus targets to sell TFT-LCD of 60 billion yen a year in 2020.

NIMS and Panasonic establish advanced functional material research center

NIMS and Panasonic agreed with establishment of “NIMS-PANASONIC advanced functional material research center”.

This research center is set up on a premise of NIMS (Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture). In the center, advanced functional material is researched collectively by mixing of NIMS's material development capability and material analysis technology and Panasonic's product development capability and functional material technology. Concretely, energy related material technology such as next generation solar cell and secondary cell is developed mainly. And also, gained research result will be adopted for product development of IoT field and energy industry field.

Takeda Printing signed share assignment agreement with respect to share purchase of Tokyo Process Service

Takeda Printing announced to decide to sign share assignment agreement with respect to share purchase of Tokyo Process Service in the board meeting, in order to acquire 100 % ownership of Tokyo Process Service.

By this acquisition, Takeda Printing drums up Tokyo Process Service's mask related business, and also, expects to gain synergy effect in mask related business for semiconductor industry by making use of each other know-how of Tokyo Process Service and Process Labo Micron, which is a subsidiary company.

Sumitomo Metal Mining withdraws from the lead frame business

Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM) announced to withdraw from the lead frame business.
IC lead frame business was signed with Chang Wah Electromaterials Group (Taiwan)on March 31, 2017.

Additionally, a Letter of Intent was signed with Jih Lin Technology (Taiwan) to carry out detailed discussions toward the future transfer of one domestic and two overseas companies engaged primarily in the power semiconductor lead frame business.

Japan Display and E Ink Form Strategic Alliance

Japan Display(JDI) announced JDI has agreed to enter a long-term strategic alliance with E Ink Holdings for electronic paper (e-Paper) business. Through the partnership with E Ink, JDI intends to diversify its business scope beyond its existing LCD market.

By partnering with E Ink, JDI adds E Ink's e-Paper into its product offering to its existing digital signage system and mobile phone customers. At the same time, JDI will continue to advance the development, production and sales of new products using LCD backplane technology.

Idemitsu and Merck announced on collaborative relationship in OLED material business

Idemitsu Kosan and Merck (Germany) concluded a collaboration agreement that allows each party to use the other party's OLED material-related patents in certain areas.

Under this collaborative relationship, each company will be allowed to develop, manufacture and sell OLED materials in certain areas of the other company's material-related patents under specified conditions. This will help to accelerate the generation of new high-performance materials by allowing both parties to exploit undeveloped areas of OLED materials with different knowledge and experience.

Panasonic liquidates consolidated subsidiary PPD

Panasonic announced to liquidate its consolidated subsidiary Panasonic Plasma Display(PPD), and forgive debts that PPD owes to Panasonic.

PPD ended PPD's business operations at the end of March 2014. Panasonic has since proceeded with the disposal of assets owned by PPD (including plants and production facilities in Ibaraki, Osaka and Amagasaki, Hyogo). Now that the disposal has been completed, Panasonic has determined to liquidate PPD.

Kaga Electronics staked CerebrEX at 20 million yen

Kaga Electronics announced to stake CerebrEX, which is a specialized maker of semiconductor for display control, at 20 million yen by accept of allocation of new shares to a third party.

CerebrEX was established in 2012, to specialize only in semiconductors for high function display control. If this semiconductor is used, not only highest data transfer speed in business field by an original interface technology “Cool Papper”, but also, high image quality and low consumed power by dynamic control function of characteristics of display module are gained in display system.