Elpida Memory
Encyclopedia
is a corporation established in 1999 that develops, designs, manufactures and sells dynamic random-access memory
(DRAM) products. It is also a semiconductor foundry
. With headquarters in Yaesu
, Chūō, Tokyo
, Japan
, it was formed under the name NEC Hitachi Memory in 1999 by the merger of the Hitachi, Ltd.
and NEC
DRAM businesses. In the following year it took its present name, and in 2003 took on the Mitsubishi
DRAM business. In 2004 it listed its shares in the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
.
Currently, the company's CEO is Yukio Sakamoto.
In 2001, the company began construction of its 300mm wafer fabrication plant. Later that year, it began sales operations in domestic markets.
In 2003, the company took over Mitsubishi
Electric Corporation's DRAM operations and employed Mitsubishi development engineers.
In 2004, Elpida Memory went public and was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange
.
In 2006, the company established Akita Elpida to take on the development of advanced back-end technology processes.
In March, 2006 Elpida reported consolidated sales of 241,500,000,000 Japanese yen
. It employed 3196 people.
In 2002, armed with the Sherman Antitrust Act, the United States Department of Justice began a probe into the activities of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) manufacturers. US computer makers, including Dell and Gateway, claimed that inflated DRAM pricing was causing lost profits and hindering their effectiveness in the marketplace. To date, five manufacturers have pleaded guilty to their involvement in an international price-fixing conspiracy
including Hynix
, Infineon, Micron Technology
, Samsung
, and Elpida. Micron Technology was not fined for its involvement due to co-operation with investigators.
On April 3, 2010, Elpida Memory sold ¥18.5billion worth of shares to Kingston Technology
On April 22, 2010, Elpida announced it has developed the worlds first 4Gb DDR3 SDRAM. Based on an advanced 40 nm process, the new eco-friendly DRAM uses about 30% less power compared to two 40 nm process 2-gigabit DDR3 SDRAMs (4-gigabit equivalent) and enables servers, data centers and other large capacity memory systems to reduce power consumption. It can operate at not only standard DDR3 1.5 V but also 1.35 V to allow greater system power savings. The target market for this new SDRAM includes servers, workstations, PCs/notebook PCs, digital consumer electronics and game consoles.
Elpida has recently engaged in the development of Flash NAND memories based on charge trapping technology.
As of July 2011, Elpida announced that it plans to raise $987 million by selling shares and bonds. In August of 2011, Elpida claimed to be the first memory maker to begin sampling 25 nm DRAMs.
Dynamic random access memory
Dynamic random-access memory is a type of random-access memory that stores each bit of data in a separate capacitor within an integrated circuit. The capacitor can be either charged or discharged; these two states are taken to represent the two values of a bit, conventionally called 0 and 1...
(DRAM) products. It is also a semiconductor foundry
Foundry (electronics)
In the microelectronics industry a semiconductor fabrication plant is a factory where devices such as integrated circuits are manufactured....
. With headquarters in Yaesu
Yaesu
is a neighborhood in Chūō, Tokyo, Japan, located north of Ginza, west of Nihonbashi and Kyōbashi, and adjacent to the east side of Tokyo Station. The Yaesu exit, which faces Nihonbashi, is recent and primarily provides access to the Shinkansen platforms.-History:...
, Chūō, Tokyo
Chuo, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards that form the heart of Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself as Chūō City in English.Its Japanese name literally means "Central Ward," and it is historically the main commercial center of Tokyo, although Shinjuku has risen to challenge it since the end of World War II...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, it was formed under the name NEC Hitachi Memory in 1999 by the merger of the Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi, Ltd.
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company is the parent of the Hitachi Group as part of the larger DKB Group companies...
and NEC
NEC
, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
DRAM businesses. In the following year it took its present name, and in 2003 took on the Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
DRAM business. In 2004 it listed its shares in the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
Tokyo Stock Exchange
The , called or TSE for short, is located in Tokyo, Japan and is the third largest stock exchange in the world by aggregate market capitalization of its listed companies...
.
Currently, the company's CEO is Yukio Sakamoto.
History
Elpida Memory was founded in 1999 and began development operations for DRAM products in 2000.In 2001, the company began construction of its 300mm wafer fabrication plant. Later that year, it began sales operations in domestic markets.
In 2003, the company took over Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
Electric Corporation's DRAM operations and employed Mitsubishi development engineers.
In 2004, Elpida Memory went public and was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange
Tokyo Stock Exchange
The , called or TSE for short, is located in Tokyo, Japan and is the third largest stock exchange in the world by aggregate market capitalization of its listed companies...
.
In 2006, the company established Akita Elpida to take on the development of advanced back-end technology processes.
In March, 2006 Elpida reported consolidated sales of 241,500,000,000 Japanese yen
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
. It employed 3196 people.
In 2002, armed with the Sherman Antitrust Act, the United States Department of Justice began a probe into the activities of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) manufacturers. US computer makers, including Dell and Gateway, claimed that inflated DRAM pricing was causing lost profits and hindering their effectiveness in the marketplace. To date, five manufacturers have pleaded guilty to their involvement in an international price-fixing conspiracy
DRAM price fixing
In 2002, the United States Department of Justice, under the Sherman Antitrust Act, began a probe into the activities of dynamic random access memory manufacturers...
including Hynix
Hynix
Hynix Semiconductor Inc. chips and flash memory chips. Founded in 1983, Hynix is the world's second-largest memory chipmaker, the largest being Samsung Electronics. Formerly known as Hyundai Electronics, the company has manufacturing sites in Korea, the U.S., China and Taiwan...
, Infineon, Micron Technology
Micron Technology
Micron Technology, Inc. is an American multinational corporation based in Boise, Idaho, USA, best known for producing many forms of semiconductor devices. This includes DRAM, SDRAM, flash memory, SSD and CMOS image sensing chips. Consumers may be more familiar with its consumer brand Crucial...
, Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
, and Elpida. Micron Technology was not fined for its involvement due to co-operation with investigators.
On April 3, 2010, Elpida Memory sold ¥18.5billion worth of shares to Kingston Technology
Kingston Technology
Kingston Technology Company, Inc. is an American privately held, multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, sells and supports flash memory products and other computer-related memory products. Headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, USA, Kingston Technology...
On April 22, 2010, Elpida announced it has developed the worlds first 4Gb DDR3 SDRAM. Based on an advanced 40 nm process, the new eco-friendly DRAM uses about 30% less power compared to two 40 nm process 2-gigabit DDR3 SDRAMs (4-gigabit equivalent) and enables servers, data centers and other large capacity memory systems to reduce power consumption. It can operate at not only standard DDR3 1.5 V but also 1.35 V to allow greater system power savings. The target market for this new SDRAM includes servers, workstations, PCs/notebook PCs, digital consumer electronics and game consoles.
Elpida has recently engaged in the development of Flash NAND memories based on charge trapping technology.
As of July 2011, Elpida announced that it plans to raise $987 million by selling shares and bonds. In August of 2011, Elpida claimed to be the first memory maker to begin sampling 25 nm DRAMs.