Epson Atmix to Triple Superfine Alloy Powder Production Capacity

– TOKYO, Japan, December 8, 2011 –

Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson," TSE: 6724) today announced that Group company Epson Atmix Corporation, the world leader^*1 in the manufacture of superfine alloy powder, would invest 3.2 billion yen in a new plant at the Hachinohe Kita-Inter Industrial Park in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The new plant will approximately triple Atmix's current production capacity in water-atomized^*2 superfine alloy powder, enabling it to meet expanding demand from growing markets for goods such as smartphones and other high-performance mobile devices, automobiles, and medical equipment.

"We are very excited to announce the establishment of our new plant," said Satoshi Oguchi, president, Epson Atmix. "We are determined to serve our customers' growing demands for high quality magnetic powder and MIM powder, and this plant will help us to better serve their needs."

To accommodate these expanding markets, Epson Atmix will invest in the new plant, which will increase Atmix's magnetic powder and MIM powder production capacity to approximately 10,000 tons per year, or about triple its current capacity. The company plans to break ground on the new facility in the first half of fiscal 2012 and begin operations in the second half of 2013.

Epson Atmix is a customer-focused company that is committed to leveraging its unique metal powder manufacturing technology to continue to create customer-pleasing, trusted products and services of the highest quality.

New plant profile

Location	2 Hachinohe Kita-Inter Industrial Park, Aomori Prefecture
Investment	Approximately 3.2 billion yen
Manufactured products	Magnetic powder and MIM powder
Completion date	Second half, FY2013
Floor area	Approximately 3,300 m2 of factory floor space on a 20,000 m2 lot
Employees	Approx. 40-50 (at start of operations in FY2013)

Epson Atmix profile

Company name	Epson Atmix Corporation
Location	4-44 Kaigan, Aza, Kawaragi, Hachinohe-shi, Aomori, Japan 039-1161
President	Satoshi Oguchi
Established	October 1, 1999
Employees	Approx. 280 (as of December 1, 2011)
Capital	450,000,000 yen (Epson Atmix is a wholly owned subsidiary of Seiko Epson Corporation)
Businesses	Development, manufacture, and sales of metal powder, metal injection molded parts, and synthetic quartz crystals

Glossary

*1 Market share on an annual sales basis of 2010 (according to Epson Atmix research as of April 2011).

Magnified photo of superfine alloy powder

*2 Water atomized
A method of manufacturing superfine alloy powder. In this process, metal that has been melted in a high-frequency induction furnace is atomized by blasting it with pressurized water. The atomized metal is then rapidly cooled, producing a superfine alloy powder

More information on Epson Atmix superfine alloy powders (60KB)

For further information, please visit the Epson Atmix web site at
http://www.atmix.co.jp/eng/E_index.html