KYOTO, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Kyocera Corporation (herein “Kyocera;” President: Hideo Tanimoto) and Ube Industries, Ltd. (herein “Ube Industries;” President: Masato Izumihara) announced today that the two companies have signed a joint venture agreement to manufacture ceramic filters for 5G base stations.

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Under the agreement, Kyocera will acquire 51% of the shares of Ube Electronics, Ltd. (herein “Ube Electronics;” President: Hiroyuki Ikeuchi), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ube Industries. Kyocera and Ube Industries will then establish a joint venture named Kyocera-Ube RF TEC Corporation, which will commence operations in December 2019.

Fifth-generation (5G) mobile network technology enables high-capacity, low-latency communications for more connected devices in smart homes, driverless cars, healthcare, and more. 5G technology generally involves two different types of base stations: “macro-cell base stations,” which provide coverage to relatively wider areas, and “small-cell base stations,” with coverage for highly populated areas to strengthen communications. The deployment of base stations containing multiple antennas is expected to accelerate as 5G expands. Consequently, further miniaturization of electronic components for base stations will play an important role in the success of 5G mobile networks.

Ceramic filters, which are among the main products manufactured by Ube Electronics, are key components enabling macro cell base stations. For base station applications, the ceramic filters paired with antennas remove unwanted signal elements and allow only the desired signal to be transmitted or received. In addition, because ceramic technology offers component miniaturization while ensuring high power output, ceramic filters are expected to replace metallic filters in 5G infrastructure.

By combining the filter design technology of Ube Electronics with Kyocera’s global ceramic components manufacturing expertise and sales network, the joint venture will seek to meet rising demand for these key components enabling the expansion of 5G technology.

Overview of joint venture

(TOKYO:6971) (), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of (also known as “advanced ceramics”). By combining these engineered materials with metals and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of industrial and automotive components, semiconductor packages, electronic devices, solar power generating systems, printers, copiers and mobile phones. During the year ended March 31, 2019, the company’s consolidated sales revenue totaled 1.62 trillion yen (approx. USD14.6 billion). Kyocera appears on the “Derwent Top 100 Global Innovators 2018-19” list by Clarivate Analytics and is ranked #655 on Forbes magazine’s 2019 “Global 2000” list of the world’s largest public companies.

About Ube Industries

(TOKYO:4208) (), has been in business since 1897, when it was founded as a coal mining company based in Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. The company has continued to evolve with the times, and its main businesses today are chemicals, construction materials, and machinery.

Ube Industries’ corporate philosophy is: “Pursue technology and embrace innovation to create value for the future and contribute to social progress.” Guided by this philosophy, the company will continue to offer new value by meeting the ever-diversifying and increasingly complex needs of the world. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, Ube Industries recorded consolidated net sales of \730.1 billion.

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