Hitachi Cable News vol.368
70th annual business report   From April 1, 2006, to March 31, 2007

Topics in Fiscal 2007

Hitachi Cable receives "Monodzukuri Manufacturing Award (Electric and Electronic Component Award)" from The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Ltd.

Whisker-suppressed tin-plated FFCs (Modified II) developed and mass-produced by the Hitachi Cable Group were recognized with the Fourth Manufacturing Component Award (Electric and Electronic Component Award), sponsored by The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Ltd. FFCs (Flexible Flat Cables) are thin, flexible cables used primarily as internal wiring materials for electronic devices.
The lead-in solder was used for plate of FFC conductors to avoid Whisker problem. This has been the countermeasure around 60 years of performance.
But currently FFC use Lead-free plated conductor instead of lead-in solder plate corresponding to Environmental friendly low as RoHS, in the meantime reappearance of whiskers problem. The award recognized the successful development and mass production of whisker-suppressed production.

Whisker-suppressed tin-plated FFC (Modified II)

Manufacturing techniques established for ultra-fine copper-alloy wire and micro coaxial cables based on this wire

The Hitachi Cable Group successfully refined conductor materials and manufacturing techniques to develop a copper-alloy wire with an ultra-fine diameter of 13 micrometers. This wire achieves both high conductivity and high strength. The Hitachi Cable Group has also devised techniques to manufacture micro coaxial cables based on this wire. Micro coaxial cables are used in a broad range of products, including notebook PCs and mobile phones (for internal wiring) and ultrasonography equipment (for probe cables). The Hitachi Cable Group plans to promote sales of micro-coaxial cables, which it expects to help reduce end-product dimensions while improving product performance.

External appearance of conductor

Whisker-suppressed tin-plated FFC (Modified II)

Hitachi Cable's website wins top position in website rankings for nonferrous metal companies

Hitachi Cable once again won top recognition among nonferrous metal product manufacturers for its website, which was awarded first place in the Ranking of Websites for Listed Corporations in Japan, Fiscal 2007, issued by Nikko Investor Relations Co., Ltd. Hitachi Cable also won the top position in this ranking the previous year. The ranking comprehensively evaluates the websites of all listed corporations in Japan for clarity, ease of use, and amount of information provided.
For the third consecutive year, Hitachi Cable was also selected Best Corporation in the Japanese nonferrous metals category of the Internet IR Best Corporation Award 2006 by Daiwa Investor Relations Co., Ltd. Daiwa Investor Relations also recognized Hitachi Cable as one of "255 companies with excellent Internet IR Websites in Japan" in 2006. Hitachi Cable plans to sustain its efforts to maintain a clear, easy-to-use website that communicates information as effectively as possible.