August 14, 2001 – Tokyo, Japan – Toshiba Ceramics Co. will reduce output at 10 factories due to falling orders for its mainline silicon wafers on the back of the sluggish semiconductor market.

An underutilized plant in Tokuyama, Yamaguchi Prefecture, will conduct a four-day furlough of workers during which wages will be cut by 70 to 80%, and will extend summer holidays to nine days.

As much as six holidays will be moved forward from the second half of this fiscal year to the first half at nine factories. Two plants in Ogunimachi, Yamagata Prefecture, and Seiromachi, Niigata Prefecture, will extend the summer break by four days, to 10 and nine days respectively.

About 50 employees at four factories, including Tokuyama, will be temporarily sent to other facilities for three to six months.