News Releases

07/02/2002

Hitachi America Forms New Digital Media Division

Jul 2, 2002 09:13 AM

-- Jiro Katsura Named to Head Digital Media Division, as well as the Home Electronics Division --

BRISBANE, Calif., July 2, 2002 - Hitachi America, Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE: HIT), today announced the formation of the Hitachi America, Ltd., Digital Media Division (DMD) effective July 1. The Digital Media Division will be headed by Jiro Katsura as senior vice president and general manager. Mr. Katsura has also been named head of the Hitachi America, Home Electronics Division, succeeding Masahiro Fukuda, who is retiring from Hitachi, Ltd.

The new division of Hitachi America will comprise the branded and OEM multimedia products businesses of the Computer Division, including plasma displays, LCD projectors and other display products targeting digital signage solutions. The Hitachi America, Computer Division will continue to focus on computer related peripherals and systems, under its existing head, Motomitsu Sadayasu, who is senior vice president and general manager.

In making the announcement, Shigeharu Mano, president and CEO of Hitachi America, Ltd. said, "The evolution in the market for high-end digital multimedia systems and products in the U.S. is beginning to blur from a technology point of view. The combination of these units driving their respective businesses under the leadership of Katsura Jiro will provide Hitachi the critical mass required to continue to succeed in the burgeoning market for robust multimedia products and solutions that encompass how information and entertainment content is presented and manipulated."

Mr. Katsura joins Hitachi America from the Ubiquitous Platform Group of Hitachi, Ltd., where he most recently served as sales director since April 2002. Previously, he was sales director of the former Digital Media Group from December 2001 to April 2002 and department manager from July 2001 to December 2001. He also served as managing director of Hitachi Australia, Ltd. from 1995 to 2001. Before that he was manager, Electronic Business Division, Overseas Department of Hitachi, Ltd. He joined Hitachi in 1974 and was assigned to the Central Research Laboratory, Technology Information Department as a specialist. He graduated from the School of Commerce at Waseda University in 1974.

Mr. Fukuda has headed the Home Electronics Division since February 1999. He joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 1970 and has held a succession of increasingly responsible positions in sales and marketing in Hitachi's international sales divisions for both consumer and industrial products. He rejoined Hitachi America's Home Electronics Division in 1998 as assistant to the president from his position as international sales manager for the Consumer and Information Media Group in Tokyo, Japan.

Hitachi America, Ltd., Computer Division, supplies high-performance computer storage products to OEMs, value-added resellers, system integrators and distributors. The division's products include high-capacity hard disk drives, and smart-card solutions and services.

Hitachi America, Ltd., Digital Media Division, supplies high-performance multimedia products to OEMs, value-added resellers, system integrators and distributors and supplies digital signage solutions to a range of industrial and commercial businesses. The division's products include LCD/LCOS projectors, CRT monitors, color laser beam printers and flat panel and plasma displays.

The Hitachi America, Ltd., Home Electronics Division, markets a variety of consumer electronics including high-definition TVs (HDTV), plasma TVs, projection TVs (PTV), color TVs, DVD players, VCRs, and DVD camcorders, as well as security and observation system products. The company's premium products are sold under the Hitachi UltraVision and UltraVision Digital brand names.

Hitachi America, Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., markets and manufactures a broad range of electronics, computer systems and products, consumer electronics and semiconductors, and provides industrial equipment and services throughout North America. For more information, visit http://www.hitachi.us/.

Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company, with approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2001 (ended March 31, 2002) consolidated sales totaled 7,994 billion yen ($60.1 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors, including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.hitachi.com.