Kyocera Celebrates 50 Years of U.S. Manufacturing

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The City of San Diego has honored Kyocera International, Inc. for 50 years of U.S. manufacturing.

At its founding in Silicon Valley in July 1969, the U.S. company was Kyocera Corporation’s first subsidiary outside of Japan. In 1971, Kyocera International, Inc. acquired facilities in San Diego and started producing ceramic semiconductor packages, becoming the first Japanese-parented technology enterprise with manufacturing operations in the State of California.

The company’s history of innovation goes back much further. Kyocera founder Kazuo Inamori was just 24 when he became the first researcher in Japan to synthesize forsterite, an engineered ceramic with key applications in high-frequency electronics. Inamori founded Kyocera three years later, in 1959, building a ceramic part for use in early TV picture tubes — just as demand for consumer TVs was beginning to take off.

Following that, Kyocera established a pattern of providing advanced ceramic components to solve emerging challenges in every new field of technology. Today, the company’s ceramics play an integral role in aerospace and space exploration, broadband, Wi-Fi, fiber-optic and 5G networks, computing equipment, document solutions, LED lighting, medical imaging, gene sequencing, and wireless devices — including Kyocera’s own line of waterproof, ruggedized 5G smartphones and feature phones. Kyocera Group Companies now employ approximately 5,700 people in the U.S., with a network of 19 U.S. manufacturing plants.

“Kyocera employees have great dedication, and many of us have 20, 30 or more years of service with the company,” said Kyocera International, Inc. President Bob Whisler, a 40-year Kyocera veteran. “We believe our employee loyalty results from our Kyocera Philosophy, our commitment to the principle of ‘Doing what is right as a human being,’ and our ability to offer challenging work that contributes to a better future for people worldwide.”

A proclamation honoring Kyocera International, Inc.’s 50-year manufacturing anniversary was signed by San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and all nine city councilmembers.

“The City of San Diego proudly applauds Kyocera for being an outstanding contributor to our economy, and our community, for half a century now,” said Councilmember Chris Cate, who represents Kyocera’s neighborhood in San Diego’s District 6. “We are delighted to join Kyocera in celebrating its 50th anniversary of U.S. manufacturing, which began in San Diego.”