electronics giant EPCOS

ElEctronics giant

EPCOS TDK Europe, part of the world-renowned Japanese TDK Group, develops, manufactures and markets electronic components, modules and systems for fast-growing technology markets including information & communications, automotive, industrial and consumer electronics. Industry Europe looks at how the group’s Hungarian arm, based in Szombathely, has progressed in recent years.

When Industry Europe last spoke to EPCOS Hungary in 2007, the company was planning considerable investments to increase internal product development capacity at its main plant in Szombathely. Fast-forward 10 years and we can see the company is beginning to reap the rewards of this, but there have been more changes besides: in 2008 the company was acquired by the Japanese TDK Corporation. The new parent company’s aim was to create a leading electronics components company with a strong presence across customer sectors and regions. In this, as we shall see, it has been successful.

Investing to expand

In 2014, EPCOS TDK Europe announced it would be adding around 10,000 square metres to its existing 35,000 square-metre production space in Szombathely for components to be used in automotive electronics applications. These include additional types of power inductors, EMC filters and axial-lead aluminium electrolytic capacitors. These are used, for example, in automatic headlamp control systems and parking assistance systems based on optical technology.

As a result of these investments, today Szombathely is TDK’s largest facility in Europe with about 100 engineers working to develop its revolutionary new solutions. In recent years, it has been awarded by the Hungarian Innovation Foundation for its research and development work, which leverages resources throughout the global TDK Corporation. The developers here collaborate on new projects with researchers at other plants – especially with the group’s experts in Japan.

Wide range of products

This dedication to innovation has resulted in EPCOS TDK Hungary’s ability to supply and manufacture an impressive range of state-ofthe-art electronics solutions. Products sold under the EPCOS brand include aluminium electrolytic capacitors, ceramic capacitors, components for PFC and Harmonic Filtering, RF components and modules, sensor systems, protector devices, inductors, transformers and much more besides. The Hungarian plant itself was established to produce inductors and capacitors, and today it is the leading plant for these two divisions throughout EPCOS’s entire global network.

TDK Corporation is continuously updating its range of EPCOS products. For example, in July this year it significantly extended its range of EPCOS single-phase power capacitors for industrial electronics. One particular feature of these updated capacitors is their high reliability and long service life of 100,000 hours. The synthetic resin-filled and PCB-free capacitors are designed for a continuous operating temperature of 70ºC.

Award-winning sustainable production

EPCOS Hungary also has a very successful track record when it comes to meeting its sustainability commitments in new product development: it has, for example, received an award from the above-mentioned Hungarian Innovation Foundation for the ongoing development of its aluminium electrolytic capacitors and power inductors.

The capacitors now feature lower losses, and improvements in the conductivity of the electrolytic fluid have further increased the energy efficiency and environmental friendliness of the systems the components are designed into. Moreover, the new electrolyte is more chemically stable, especially at high temperatures, so the capacitors can achieve longer useful lives.

meeting supply demands and industry standards

Thanks to its favourable location, Szombathely is one of the major European hubs of the automotive industry. The products manufactured here are exported throughout the world but are also leaders in the domestic market. Alongside the automotive electronics market, the TDK plant will continue to supply components for other industries, in particular for a wide range of industrial electronics applications as well as numerous applications in the renewable energy segment.

Aside from the above, TDK Europe’s ongoing plans also including continuing to meet evolving European standards in order to maintain its leading position. In Hungary, it will maintain its focus on its two main markets – capacitors and inductors – to meet the exacting demands of its clients in the automotive and industrial electronics markets.