MArch 27, 2001 — HIROSHIMA — Sharp Corp. is reportedly set to introduce a new semiconductor chip plant in Mihara of Hiroshima Prefecture.
The company plans to invest approximately $151 million (18.7 billion yen) in the new plant, according to the Jiji Press Ticker News Service. Construction is expected to begin in June with operations said to start by September, 2002.
The plant will manufacture blue-color semiconductor laser elements for CDs, DVDs and other data storage media.
Initially, the plant is expected to produce five million units monthly. By 2005, monthly production capactity will reach 14 million units.
Citing a projection of a 25 percent increase in the Japanese optical storage market over the next five years, Sharp also plans to set up a similar plant at the Mihara site.