Japanese toilet manufacturer Toto is expanding its ceramics division to support NAND memory production, aiming to address global RAM supply constraints.
Toto, known primarily for bathroom fixtures, operates a ceramics division that produces materials critical to semiconductor manufacturing. The company has committed increased investment to boost output of ceramics used in NAND memory chip production.
The move addresses ongoing supply chain pressures affecting memory chip availability. NAND flash memory—essential for SSDs, smartphones, and data centers—relies on specialized ceramic components during fabrication.
Toto's ceramics division has long supplied the semiconductor industry, though its toilet business dominates the company's public profile. The investment signals confidence in sustained demand for memory chips despite recent market fluctuations.
The company did not specify investment amounts or production timelines. The expansion represents an indirect approach to easing hardware bottlenecks, leveraging existing expertise in precision ceramic manufacturing rather than direct chip production.
Solar installer Sunrun is piloting a program that pays residential customers hundreds of dollars monthly to use their rooftop solar and battery systems as AI computing infrastructure.
Chipset makers and router manufacturers are preparing Wi-Fi 8, the next wireless standard promising faster speeds and lower latency. Here's what we know about the technology and its timeline.
Intel is investing €5 billion ($5.7 billion) to expand its manufacturing facility in Ireland as the chipmaker races to secure its position in the AI semiconductor market.
Samsung Electronics has moved up the timeline for its first South Korean chipmaking facility in Yongin, targeting operations to begin by 2029 instead of 2030 or 2031.