Sony Acquires Toshiba’s Image Sensor Division

Sony on Friday announced that it has entered into an agreement with Toshiba Corporation according to which the latter will “transfer” certain Toshiba-owned semiconductor fabrication facilities, equipment and related assets in its Oita Operations facility, along with other related equipment and assets owned by it to Sony and to Sony Semiconductor Corporation ("SCK"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony. 

“Under the agreements, Toshiba will transfer semiconductor fabrication facilities, equipment and related assets of Toshiba's 300mm wafer production line, mainly located at its Oita Operations facility”, the press release said.

Sony said that the deal costs 19 billion yen ($155 million) and the companies aim to complete it within the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016. Following the transfer, Sony plans to operate the semiconductor fabrication facilities primarily for manufacturing CMOS image sensors. 

Moreover, the employees of Toshiba and its affiliates employed at the fabrication facilities as well as “certain” employees working in CMOS image sensor engineering and design (about 1,100 employees in total) are expected to get employment within the Sony Group.