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[June 2006]
Kyocera Founder Gives Keynote Address at 1st International Congress on Ceramics
Dr Kazuo Inamori, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Kyocera Corp, a global leader in the advanced ceramics industry, was chosen as the keynote speaker at the 1st International Congress on Ceramics, a landmark event taking place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from 25-27 June 2006.The Congress is intended to facilitate a global roadmap for the advanced ceramics industry, a sector of scientific innovation, research and development that has played a vital role in industries ranging from microchips to medical equipment.
Dr Inamori is described as perhaps the foremost living pioneer in the development of commercial applications for advanced ceramic materials. Among his achievements is establishing the Kyoto Ceramic Co Ltd (now Kyocera
Corporation) in 1959 with 27 colleagues and the equivalent of about US$10,000 from a friend. Though just 27 at the time, Dr. Inamori went on to lead Kyocera into global eminence, with approximately 60,000 employees worldwide and sales exceeding US$10 billion for the year ended 31 March 2006."I founded Kyocera by combining the unique properties of fine ceramics with other materials and technologies in a way that I thought might bring a benefit to society and humankind," Dr Inamori stated. "I hope that our efforts have contributed in some small way to the development and success of our industry, and that even greater future dreams may be possible for others as a result of our work."
Dr Inamori’s first product supported the 1950s revolution in television manufacturing. His ceramic materials, components and devices later made essential contributions to a vast range of other high-tech fields. These include the development of the semiconductor industry; the rapid growth in the field of electronic components; structural ceramics; cutting tools; bioceramic medical and dental implants; office copiers and printers; fibre optics; wireless phones and communications networks; and alternative energy. In the field of solar power, for example, Dr Inamori’s polycrystalline silicon process technologies have made Kyocera among the world’s leading manufacturers of solar electric generating systems.
KDDI, which Dr. Inamori established as DDI Corporation in 1984, has grown to become Japan’s second-largest telecommunications company.
Even more important than successful research and business skills, Dr Inamori contends, is a researcher’s philosophy. "In order to conduct research that truly contributes to the betterment of humanity we scientists need a wonderful outlook on life, as well as a worthy personal philosophy," Dr Inamori said. "We must always have criteria in our hearts that can help us answer the question, ‘What is the right thing to do as a human being?’ and guide us to do what is good for society and humanity in our daily work."
More than 600 executives, scientists and engineers from the ceramics and glass industries were expected by the organisers to attend the International Ceramics Congress.
ENDS