TOKYO, Japan - Akita Epson Corporation, a group company of Seiko Epson Corporation (TSE: 6724, "Epson"), will invest a total of approximately 3.4 billion yen on the construction of a new factory to increase production capacity of printheads for inkjet printers. Construction will begin in November 2015. The new factory, which will begin operations in the autumn of 2016, will triple Akita Epson's current printhead production capacity.

Epson's printing solutions business provides products and services based on original Micro Piezo inkjet technology to customers in the consumer, office, commercial, and industrial markets. The new factory at Akita Epson will manufacture and assemble inkjet printheads, the core devices used in Epson's high-capacity ink tank printers and business inkjet printers.

Epson's high-capacity ink tank printers are new concept products that meet customer needs for low printing costs while providing genuine Epson print quality. Sales of these printers were strong in the 2014 fiscal year (ended March 31, 2015), with annual unit shipment growth topping 40% and future growth in demand expected. The office market is also seeing annual growth in demand for high-speed business inkjet printers that produce outstanding image quality at a lower cost per print and lower energy consumption than laser printers.

"Akita Epson is an important domestic production site with advanced technological capability and a close working relationship with Epson's corporate R&D function," said Takashi Mitsui, president of Akita Epson. "We make a significant contribution to the manufacturing capability of the entire Epson Group, sharing with Epson's overseas manufacturing plants the technical expertise we have gained from manufacturing core devices. By using Epson's original production equipment and automating and rationalizing production lines, the new plant will further raise our production capability."

Epson is committed to advancing its original technologies and to delighting customers by exceeding their expectations with products and services based on original core devices.