Investment brings market leadership

According to Paumanok Publications, publisher of Passive Component Industry Magazine, AVX holds the number one worldwide position in tantalum and niobium oxide capacitors, with a market share of 22%.

According to Paumanok Publications, publisher of Passive Component Industry Magazine, AVX holds the number one worldwide position in tantalum and niobium oxide capacitors, with a market share of 22%.

The company has achieved this position, explains Bill Millman, Technical Director of the AVX's Tantalum Division, by investing in new technologies and new manufacturing facilities.

Late last year, AVX introduced its OxiCap series of niobium oxide capacitors that are environmentally friendly replacements for aluminium, polymer and high CV ceramic devices, as they contain no lead or halogens, and are completely compatible with lead-free soldering processes.

More, niobium is an abundant material and therefore not subject to the potential supply restrictions which can cause problems with tantalum devices.

AVX has also introduced conductive polymer electrode tantalum devices that deliver extremely low ESR, but are still able to cope with the rigours of lead-free soldering methods.

AVX has invested heavily at its main European tantalum manufacturing facilities.

Paignton in the South West of England is the centre for the company's tantalum development and production, complemented by an 11-year-old facility in Lanskroun in the Czech Republic.

This year, the company increased production of tantalum capacitors by over 13% and took output of the recently introduced niobium oxide OxiCap range to 1.5 billion pieces.

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