OKI starts LED fab in Takasaki

OKI Digital Imaging , LED development subsidiary of OKI Data Corp.'s, has commenced operations at a newly-acquired production facility in Takasaki City in Japan's Gumma Prefecture region. This will enable OKI Data to achieve a fourfold increase in production capability.

At present, OKI Data deploys businesses across 120 countries worldwide, focusing on non-impact printers by leveraging advantages brought by LED print heads, such as compact size, high-speed and high-precision printing. OKI Digital Imaging develops LED print heads which uses "Epi Film Bonding (EFB) technology" which enables thin film-material to be bonded without the need for adhesive by utilising intermolecular bonding force. OKI Digital Imaging claims to be the first company to successfully manufacture this technology for commercial use, and expects to deploy it not only for LED print heads but also for a range of other applications.

"The new production facility incorporates a clean room with a high-level degree of cleanliness. This room covers approximately twice the area of the clean room presently in use and, as such, allows us to achieve a fourfold boost in our LED print head production capability. In turn, this will help us double our non-impact printer sales by the fiscal year ending March 2012," said Harushige Sugimoto, president of OKI Data. "Going forward, the new facility will enable us to continue to invest in EFB technology. As a result, we intend to proactively develop broader businesses in this area. We are planning to accelerate development of high-brightness and high-resolution LED displays—which is likely to be a key growth market in the future."