Construction of the new plant is timed to align the production capacity of solar modules with the increase in production of solar cells which Kyocera is set to expand to 650MW by March, 2012. Manufacturing modules mainly for the Asian market, the target production capacity of Kyocera Tianjin Solar will be bolstered to the eventual goal of 240MW from 2011, an increase to four times the current capacity of 60MW.

Construction of the new manufacturing plant will begin in April, with completion scheduled for spring of 2010. Upon completion of the new plant, all Kyocera Tianjin Solar manufacturing operations will subsequently be transferred to the new facility.

On February 18, the groundbreaking ceremony for the scheduled construction of the new plant was held on the site adjacent to the current facility.

Presently, the solar energy industry is garnering global attention. In 2003, anticipating future growth in the Asian market starting with China and Japan, Kyocera was the first Japanese company to establish a solar module manufacturing plant in China. With the Kyocera Group operating manufacturing facilities for solar modules in Japan, Mexico, the Czech Republic and the Tianjin facilities in China, Kyocera Tianjin Solar supplies solar modules to the leading Asian markets of Japan, South Korea and China as one of the group’s four global manufacturing centers.

Kyocera will continue to increase production capacity from here on to correspond with market demand, aiming for the further expansion of its solar energy business.  

About KYOCERA Kyocera Corporation (NYSE:KYO) (TOKYO:6971) (http://global.kyocera.com/), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine ceramics (also known as “advanced ceramics”). By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of solar power generating systems, telecommunications equipment, laser printers, copiers, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2008, the company’s net sales totaled 1.29 trillion yen (approximately US$12.9 billion).