Toshiba shuts sites to save electricity

LONDON – Toshiba Corp. has announced that it is cooperating with a request from Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) to cut electricity consumption by operating only those of its businesses related to the provision of essential services. The move is in relation to power shortages and the provision of emergency services in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that hit northern Japan on Friday (March 11).

The decision extends to all Toshiba's companies and covers production and business premises where TEPCO plans rolling black outs, with the exception of the headquarters building. Toshiba said it would provide further information on measures being taken beyond Monday (March 14)

Toshiba is a manufacturer of consumer goods as well as being the world's third largest producer of ICs in 2010. Toshiba did not say how many its wafer fabs have been directly affected by events on Friday or are now being closed due to the power saving decision. But it did comment on Iwate Toshiba Electronics Co. Ltd., wa fer fab located in the Tohoku region strongly hit by the region. The Iwate Toshiba Electronics wafer fab, in Kitakami City, Iwate prefecture, produces logic ICs for consumer and industrial applications.

"As it is located in the region strongly hit by the earthquake, the factory immediately came to a halt and currently remains out of operation. There appears to be no significant damage to the factory building, and the company has started to examine the extent of the damage to production equipment, aiming to recover operations. The outlook for when the factory can resume production is uncertain," a spokesperson said.


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