Bourns takes leap with purchase of Japanese firm

Electronic components maker Bourns, which has a base in Mahon in Cork, has bought Japanese firm Komatsulite Manufacturing in the largest acquisition in the company’s history.

Komatsulite, which is headquartered in Osaka, is a leader in the field of safety devices for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. It has four plants in Japan and one in China generating $100m in annual revenue

The devices enable the speedy recharging of the batteries, which are used in an range of electronic devices. They also protect against overheating while charging, a long-time problem for lithium-ion power cells.