ROHM and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage will respectively make intensive investments in silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon (Si) power devices, effectively improve their supply capabilities and make complementary use of each other's production capacity.
Power devices are essential components for supplying and managing electrical power to all types of electronic equipment, and for achieving a carbon-neutral and carbon-free society. Current demand is expected to continue growing. In automotive applications, the development of more efficient, smaller, and lighter electric powertrains has progressed in parallel with the rapid expansion of vehicle electrification. In industrial applications, the stable supply of power devices and improved performance are widely needed to support increasing automation and greater efficiency requirements.
Against this backdrop, ROHM has formulated a management vision: "We focus on analog and power solutions and solve societal problems by contributing to our customers' needs for energy savings and product miniaturization," and is accelerating its efforts toward a carbon-free world. SiC power devices are key to energy savings. Since the world's first mass production of SiC MOSFETs, ROHM has consistently developed industry-leading technologies. These include ROHM's latest 4th generation SiC MOSFETs, which will be adopted for numerous electric vehicles and industrial equipment. As one of its priority projects, ROHM is working on its SiC business, which involves aggressive and ongoing investment to increase SiC production capacity and meet strong demand growth.
The Toshiba Group, with its long-standing core commitment, "Committed to People, Committed to the Future," aims to advance carbon neutrality and a circular economy. Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage has been supplying silicon power devices for decades, primarily to the automotive and industrial markets, contributing to energy-saving solutions and equipment miniaturization. The company began production on a 300 mm wafer line last year and is accelerating investments to enhance production capacity and meet strong demand growth. It is also advancing the development of a broader range of silicon-based power devices, particularly for automotive and power transmission and distribution applications, leveraging its expertise in rail vehicle applications.
ROHM had already announced its participation in the privatization of Toshiba, but this investment did not serve as a starting point for manufacturing collaboration between the two companies. Faced with intensifying international competition in the semiconductor industry, ROHM and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage had long considered collaborating in the power device business, which led to the joint application.
ROHM and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage will collaborate on the manufacture of power devices, through intensive investments in SiC and Si power devices, respectively, to enhance the international competitiveness of both companies. The companies will also seek to contribute to strengthening the resilience of semiconductor supply chains in Japan.
