Oki Electric Industry Co Ltd is to set up a research facility in California next month to develop semiconductors for use in multimedia equipment. This will be our first semiconductor research base overseas, the company told Reuters. We have decided to set up a laboratory in the US because the most advanced multimedia technologies are available there. Oki plans to hire 10 to 20 research staff locally for the new facility, which will focus on development of integrated circuits for image and sound processing, the company said. The precise location of new centre and the volume of investment have yet to be decided, the company added. Last month Japan’s biggest semiconductor maker, NEC Corp, announced it planned to set up a multimedia research facility in San Jose with 10 staff.
