Toshiba Corp. will transfer a major portion of its high-capacity power module business to Mitsubishi Electric Corp. as part of a joint strategy to focus management resources, the two companies said Thursday.
The transfer will include development, design, manufacturing and marketing of power module products, the partners said in a joint statement. But it will not cover automotive products, high-voltage modules or other related products.
High-capacity power modules account for only a small portion of Toshiba's overall power transistor business.
The two companies are expected to conclude a final agreement by Oct. 1.
Toshiba agreed on the business transfer to focus its resources on power transistors used in applications for hybrid cars and electric vehicles, and in personal computers and digital electronics.
Mitsubishi, for its part, is concentrating on power semiconductors and high-frequency optical devices. In particular, the company is promoting the insulated gate bipolar transistor, or IGBT, module business to take advantage of growing demand for inverter controller equipment for consumer products and industrial equipment.