What Shibaura Electronics does

Fukushima Shibaura Electronics Co., Ltd. is a Japanese thermistor manufacturer founded April 1984 (operational since November 1985) in Motomiya, Fukushima Prefecture, and operating as the sole producer of NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) thermistor elements within the Shibaura Electronics Group — the world's #1 thermistor maker by market share. The company designs, materials-engineers, and mass-produces the fundamental temperature-sensing components that the parent Group integrates and distributes globally. Its technology is differentiated by a proprietary glass-sealing process for ultra-small, precisely matched micro thermistors; near-total in-house design and fabrication of production and inspection machinery; and careful material selection producing highly stable, low-drift components across a wide temperature range.

Its product portfolio spans five application-driven lines: automotive sensors (engine temperature, oil temperature, fuel temperature, intake air, exhaust temperature, cabin A/C — approximately 15 thermistors per vehicle), HVAC/air conditioning sensors for residential and commercial climate control, home appliance sensors (microwaves, IH cooktops, rice cookers, refrigerators), OA equipment sensors (copier/print fixing and pressure rollers), and residential/housing equipment sensors (water heaters, bidets, boilers). The company also offers humidity-sensing variants for smart cooking appliances.

The business model is B2B and component-sales-based: as the sole upstream thermistor-element production base for the Shibaura Electronics Group, output flows internally to parent and sister companies in Japan and abroad (Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Germany, United States), which in turn supply OEMs in automotive, HVAC, home appliance, OA, and residential equipment. Pricing is negotiated contract-by-contract with no public pricing. Certifications include ISO9001 (2003), ISO14001 (2005), IATF16949/ISO/TS16949 (2007), and UL (2003). In October 2025 the parent was acquired by Taiwan-based Yageo Corporation for ~$740 million, and the company was delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange on January 13, 2026.

Name

Shibaura Electronics

Legal name

Shibaura Electronics Co., Ltd.

Website

https://shibaura-thermistor.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fukushima Shibaura Electronics is a Japanese NTC thermistor element manufacturer, serving as the sole production base within the Shibaura Electronics Group (world #1 thermistor maker), supplying component-level temperature sensors to global automotive, HVAC, appliance, OA, and residential-equipment OEMs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electronic Temperature Sensors

NAICS

Capacitor, Resistor, Coil, Transformer, and Other Inductor Manufacturing (334416), Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (334419)

SIC

Electronic Components, Nec (3679)

akta.pro primary industry

Thermistors & Temperature Sensors (NTC/PTC/RTD Elements) (HDAHANAH)

Keywords

• NTC thermistor elements
• Temperature sensor components
• Automotive thermistor sensors
• HVAC temperature sensors
• Electronic ceramic components

Headquarters

HQ city

Motomiya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Thermistor component manufacturing and sales: Fukushima Shibaura Electronics manufactures and sells thermistor elements (NTC thermistors) as a production base for the Shibaura Electronics Group. The company is the sole producer of thermistor elements within the Shibaura Electronics Group, which holds the world No. 1 market share in thermistors. Revenue is generated through the sale of these components to automotive, HVAC, appliance, OA, and residential equipment manufacturers globally.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fukushima Shibaura Electronics manufactures NTC thermistor elements — precision ceramic temperature-sensing components — for sale to OEMs across five primary market segments: automotive (temperature sensors for vehicles), air conditioning/HVAC (lead-wire and metal-tube thermistor elements), home appliances, office automation (OA) equipment, and residential housing equipment. The company operates Japan's only vertically integrated NTC thermistor production chain, from raw material formulation and chip sintering through element assembly and quality inspection, using proprietary glass-sealed micro thermistor processing and in-house designed production equipment.

Product overview

Fukushima Shibaura Electronics is a thermistor manufacturing company and the sole production base for thermistor elements within the Shibaura Electronics Group, which holds the world's top market share in temperature sensors. The company produces NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) thermistor elements that are fundamental temperature sensor components. The product portfolio includes automotive thermistor sensors for engine and cabin climate control, air conditioning thermistor sensors for HVAC systems, home appliance thermistor sensors for consumer electronics like coffee makers and rice cookers, OA equipment thermistor sensors for printers and copiers, and housing equipment thermistor sensors for water heaters and boilers. The company differentiates through glass-sealed technology enabling microthermistor production, a wide product lineup covering diverse applications, and extensive customization capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NTC Thermistor Elements for Air Conditioning Precision NTC thermistor elements offered in lead-wire and metal-tube configurations for indoor and outdoor air conditioner units. Designed for HVAC and air conditioning OEMs requiring high-accuracy room-temperature sensing with long-term stability and moisture resistance.
• Automotive Thermistor Temperature Sensors Automotive-grade thermistor temperature sensors for vehicle HVAC, engine coolant, battery thermal management, and cabin climate-control applications. Supplied to automotive OEMs and Tier 1 module manufacturers with full material traceability.
• NTC Thermistor Elements for Home Appliances Compact, high-reliability NTC thermistor elements used as temperature-sensing components in home appliances such as rice cookers, microwave ovens, washing machines, and water heaters. Target buyers are consumer appliance OEMs requiring cost-effective high-volume sensing parts.
• NTC Thermistor Elements for OA Equipment NTC thermistor elements supplied to office automation equipment manufacturers for printers, copiers, multifunction devices, and related products. Delivers precise temperature sensing for fuser, image, and environmental control subsystems.
• NTC Thermistor Elements for Residential Housing Equipment NTC thermistor elements for residential housing equipment applications, including water heaters, bathroom dryers, and IH cooking heaters. Built for long-life household use with stable temperature characteristics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shibaura Electronics Group holds world No. 1 market share in thermistors
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Panasonic Industry (Panasonic Holdings): Manufactures thermistors and temperature sensors as part of its broader electronic components and appliance business. Competes with Shibaura in HVAC and home appliance sensing applications.
• Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Global passive electronic components leader producing thermistors alongside MLCCs, inductors, and sensors for automotive and electronics markets. Overlaps Shibaura on NTC thermistors within a much broader portfolio.
• Honeywell International: Major sensor manufacturer offering temperature sensing products for industrial, automotive, and HVAC markets. Operates at higher integration level than Shibaura but competes for similar sensing applications.
• Vishay Intertechnology: Large US passive component manufacturer offering NTC thermistors, RTDs, and temperature sensors for automotive, industrial, and military markets. Comparable product technology and customer base.
• TDK Corporation: Major Japanese passive components and sensor manufacturer with NTC thermistor products serving automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. Comparable technology base and customer segments.
• Amphenol Advanced Sensors: Global sensor manufacturer (subsidiary of Amphenol) producing thermistors and temperature sensing solutions for automotive, HVAC, medical, and industrial applications. Direct overlap in NTC thermistor products.

Others

• Yageo Corporation: Parent company of Shibaura Electronics following the 2025 acquisition. A global passive components giant (resistors, capacitors) now expanding into sensors through Shibaura. Adjacent product lines with shared end customers.

Direct peers

• SEMITEC Corporation: Japanese manufacturer specializing in NTC thermistors and temperature sensors for automotive, appliance, and medical applications. Most direct head-to-head competitor to Shibaura's thermistor element portfolio.

Emerging players

• Wavelength Electronics: Niche temperature sensor and control manufacturer serving industrial and scientific markets. Smaller-scale competitor in precision temperature sensing where Shibaura also competes.
• Mitsubishi Materials Corporation: Japanese materials and electronics company producing thermistors and sensor materials. Operates in similar NTC thermistor space with overlap in automotive and industrial temperature sensing.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shibaura Electronics