Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc. is the result of the integration of former New Japan Radio Co., Ltd. (New Japan Radio) and former Ricoh Electronic Devices Co., Ltd. (Ricoh Electronic Devices.) This time, I would like to briefly introduce our new integrated company while looking back on the history of each!

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Each Company's History Before the Integration

First, the former New Japan Radio has a long history; it was founded in 1959. It mainly focuses on general-purpose linear ICs widely used in consumer, industrial, and automotive devices. In addition to linear ICs, it has also provided compound semiconductors, SAW filters, front-end modules, optical sensors, MEMS, and so on. Microwave products, the other category including components for VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) equipment in the satellite communication field, and microwave sensors, are its oldest business field. It has also provided radar magnetrons and peripherals to the fields of defense, meteorology, marine, and land. In terms of a components for marine radar systems in particular, it has held top share of the world market for many years.

On the other hand, former Ricoh Electronic Devices was founded in 1981, starting as the semiconductor business department of Ricoh, it developed semiconductor components for office appliances and cameras produced by the company. After that, it started full-scale external sales by being involved in the development of microcomputers and GPUs installed in the Nintendo Family Computer™, so-called first red and white NES. In 1987, it started to develop CMOS power management ICs, and in the following year, it succeeded in developing a digital-analog mixed signal product for automotive mobile phones. At the dawn of mobile phones, around 2000, when so-called feature phones were flooding the city, most Japanese mobile phone manufacturers adopted its system power management ICs.

These two companies became part of the Nisshinbo Group separately in the 2000s and have played a central role in the Nisshinbo Group's microdevice business.

To Begin with, What Is the Nisshinbo Group?

The former New Japan Radio became a subsidiary of the Nisshinbo Group (currently Nisshinbo Holdings) in 2005, and the former Ricoh Electronic Devices became a subsidiary of that in 2018. To begin with, do you know what kind of company Nisshinbo is?

The Nisshinbo Group is developing a wide variety of businesses, including the textiles, which is the origin of its company name, wireless communications, microdevices, automobile brakes, mechatronics, chemicals, and real estate.

Nisshinbo Group's Sales Ratio by business group (Year 2020)

"Connect Everything"

As mentioned above, the two companies have contributed to society on their own by developing and providing micro devices in the Nisshinbo Group. However, when we thought about how the two companies would survive during recent rapid technological innovations such as electrification, automation, and the incorporation of AI technology, and the unstable global economy such as industry restructuring, we thought that it was time to move on to the next phase. Therefore we decided to integrate our business.
In short, by utilizing the resources of both companies in an integrated manner, we have decided to improve our “Connect Everything” technology and aim for further growth and development toward the realization of an smart society. After a preparation period of about a year, we launched a new company called Nisshinbo Micro Devices on January 1, 2022.

4th Largest Global Share in LDOs

Although both companies are similar analog semiconductor manufacturers, there are very few overlapping product fields, and they are complementary to each other with expertise in their respective fields. Through the integration of the two companies, we aim to further develop in two areas: energy management field such as power supply ICs, battery monitoring ICs, and power devices and signal processing field with the aim of expanding the sensor market with signal processing ICs such as operational amplifiers and comparators.

There are however a few overlapping products!
For example, due to the integration of the two companies, we have the 4th largest market share in LDO regulators (Actual sales in 2019).

Post-Integration LDO Regulator Market Share (FY2019 Results)
Source: Marketing Eye Co., LTD.

Not Only Electronic Devices!

Of course, the business field of Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc. is not only electronic devices.
Yes, there is the microwave business. As I mentioned at the beginning, it is one of the core businesses of Nisshinbo Micro Devices, which is the oldest business field the former New Japan Radio had, and some of the devices have been at the top of the market in the world.

Microwave Business Products

I think many people don't know about our microwave business, so I would like to introduce it again in this blog.

Global Production Locations and Sales Network!

In the end, this integration provides us with increase in our business and manufacturing locations!
Our offices are located not only in Asia such as Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore, but also in North America and Europe. We will realize wider customer support by globally integrating the sales network of the former New Japan Radio, which has been strong in direct sales, and that of the former Ricoh Electronic Devices, which has been strong in sales with distributors and online sales.
In addition, we have manufacturing plants in Japan and overseas, in terms of our own plants: our front-end process plants are in Saitama, Hyogo, and Fukuoka prefecture, and two back-end process plants in Saga prefecture and Thailand.

Domestic Locations in Japan	Overseas Locations

That's all for the brief introduction of our company.
Our company has just started, and we look forward to your continued support for Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc.

In addition, more detailed explanation of our company is described in the following "At a Glance: Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc." site, so please have a look if you like.

At a Glance: Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc.

And finally,

With this integration, this blog will also be carried over from the former Ricoh Electronic Devices to Nisshinbo Micro Devices.
We will continue our serial columns, addressing varied topics such as wafer process, US expatriate, so on and so forth.
Also, with the integration, we have increased the number of products we can introduce to you, so please look forward to it.

Thank you for your continued support of this blog.