February 17, 2026 /SemiMedia/ — Murata Manufacturing has completed construction of a new ceramic capacitor research and development center in Fukui Prefecture, as the company moves to tighten the link between MLCC design and mass production.

The facility, operated by its manufacturing subsidiary Fukui Murata Manufacturing, is scheduled to open on March 30. The site covers about 54,450 square meters, with total floor space of roughly 41,700 square meters. Murata said total investment, including land and buildings, reached around 35 billion yen.

The center will focus on materials development, device structure and manufacturing processes for multilayer ceramic capacitors, Murata’s core passive component product. It is designed to support the full flow from early-stage design verification to production transfer, working closely with Murata’s domestic plants and external partners.

Demand for high-reliability and compact MLCCs continues to rise, driven by automotive electrification, advanced driver systems and industrial equipment. By consolidating R&D and production engineering at a single site, Murata aims to shorten development cycles and improve yield stability for next-generation capacitors.

The company also plans to use the new base to train engineers and advance manufacturing know-how, reinforcing its supply capability as electronics makers push for higher performance and tighter integration across vehicle and industrial platforms.