News > Japanese chipmaker Renesas resumes production at the fire-damaged plant

Japanese chipmaker Renesas resumes production at the fire-damaged plant

Japanese chipmaker Renesas Electronics Corp. restarted the production of chips on Saturday at a fire-hit factory, one month after the accident happened, amid a global semiconductor shortage related to the fire and increased demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The company repaired cleanrooms, which are essential for the production of chips. Renesas had to halt its production of microcontrollers used to power cars and control units because a fire broke out at the Ibaraki prefecture plant in the northeast of Tokyo on March 19. It is believed the fire was caused by an electrical overload and burned an area of 600 square meters (6,458 square feet).