About
In 1935, TDK — then Tokyo Denki Kagaku, meaning Tokyo Electrical Chemical — was founded to commercialize a breakthrough: the ferrite core, a magnetic ceramic material that could store magnetic energy far more efficiently than metal. Invented by company co-founder Yogoro Kato, ferrite made possible compact transformers, loudspeakers, and magnetic recording — and it made TDK a giant of the electronics supply chain. The company that once dominated the world's magnetic tape market (its cassettes were the gold standard of the audio era) has reinvented itself completely: TDK is now one of the world's largest makers of electronic components, led by multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), inductors, sensors, and the rechargeable batteries used in smartphones, earbuds, and wearables. Its magnetic expertise also lives on in the magnetic heads and motors inside hard disk drives. Based in Tokyo with about 100,000 employees and annual revenue near ¥2.2 trillion, TDK has transformed itself into a materials science powerhouse — its latest bets include solid-state batteries for wearables, MEMS sensors for automotive and industrial use, and energy storage for data centers. For electronics buyers, TDK is one of the component industry's most diversified suppliers, with deep roots in the materials science that components depend on.
Also known as: TDK
