Japanese Ceramic Giant TOTO Announces ¥60 Billion Investment in New Semiconductor Equipment Component Plant
TOTO will build a new facility in Buzen, Fukuoka, to mass-produce next-generation electrostatic chucks and AD components, with production expected to start in H1 FY2029.
Japanese ceramic manufacturer TOTO announced on October 30, 2026, that it will construct a new production facility within its TOTO Fine Ceramics Buzen plant in Buzen City, Fukuoka Prefecture. The facility is dedicated to mass-producing next-generation electrostatic chucks and Aerosol Deposition (AD) components. The project involves an investment of approximately ¥60 billion, with production scheduled to begin in the first half of fiscal year 2029.
Electrostatic chucks are critical components used to secure silicon wafers in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, while AD components are installed in etching process tools. TOTO positions these ceramic materials for semiconductor equipment as a growth segment within its "Ceramics Business." The company states that its plasma-resistant electrostatic chucks and AD components contribute to the multilayering of memory and the miniaturization of logic semiconductors, trends driven by surging demand for AI chips.
The new production building is a three-story steel structure with a construction area of approximately 12,000 square meters and a total floor area of about 36,000 square meters, making it the largest production facility in the company's ceramics business to date. Additionally, TOTO is constructing a sintering building at the same plant to increase electrostatic chuck production, scheduled for completion in January 2027. This ¥60 billion investment is separate from the approximately ¥30 billion capital expenditure plan announced in April 2026 for the Chigasaki, Nakatsu, and Buzen plants, and is described as a "large-scale investment plan for further production enhancement."