Hakusan constructs a new plant toward mass production of TMT Ferrules for VSFF multi-fiber optical connectors

Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (Head office: 2-6-4 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Hideya Moridaira) has decided to construct Ishikawa Plant 2 (tentative name) of Hakusan Inc. (Head office: Ishikawa Textile Hall 1F, 2-2 Kuratsuki, Kanazawa, Ishikawa; CEO & President: Tatsuya Yonekawa; hereinafter, “Hakusan”), our Group company, in Kahoku City, Ishikawa Prefecture to respond to expanding demand from data centers as well as rapidly growing demand from hyperscalers among others, driven by the widespread adoption of generative AI.

In recent years, along with the wider adoption of generative AI and cloud services, investments in data centers have been increasing on a global scale, and there has been growing demand for optical communication networks which process massive volume of data at high speed and low latency within data centers, and optical connectors which are components enabling such processing.
Especially, to respond to the evolution of data centers into high-density environments, ultra-compact (VSFF: Very Small Form Factor) multi-fiber optical connectors emerged as a new option that allows space-saving, in addition to traditional MT ferrules.
Our Group’s Optical Solutions Business centered on our subsidiary, Lightera Japan Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, “Lightera Japan”) supplies optical connectors in the optical connection domain where AI data centers are shifting to high-volume, high-density environments, and also offers connectivity solutions including the related products in the high-value-added products domain, aiming to develop our presence in the global market.
Hakusan, a member of the Lightera Japan Group, has a high level of technology and the world’s top-level market share in low-loss MT Ferrules, a core product for existing multi-fiber optical connectors. Looking forward the expansion of demand for VSFF connectors in the future, Hakusan entered into a multi-source (mutual supply) agreement announced in February 2026 with SANWA Technologies and US Conec (in the United States) for the supply of “MMC” and “TMT Ferrules.”

In accordance with the above-mentioned agreement, we will invest approx. 5 billion yen to construct Ishikawa Plant 2 (tentative name) in Kahoku City, Ishikawa Prefecture, aiming to start mass production of TMT Ferrules from around April 2028.
As a result of this investment, the manufacturing facility will increase by approx. 1.5 times its current size thereby enhancing the supply capacity.
Going forward, Hakusan will maintain and enhance the supply system for the existing business and also establish a system for the mass production and stable supply of TMT Ferrules for VSFF connectors.
Before that, to respond to growing demand in an agile manner, we plan to establish tentative production lines by utilizing existing facilities and enhance production capacity until the start of mass production at the new plant.