KYOTO, Feb. 14 (Kyodo) — Kyocera Corp. said Thursday its subsidiary Kyocera SLC Technologies Corp. will build a factory in Ayabe, Kyoto, to make semiconductor components for use in smartphones and tablet computers.

Kyocera will invest about 15 billion yen in the factory, which will have a combined floor space of 24,000 square meters, eyeing to commence its operations in the summer of 2014.

Kyocera President Tetsuo Kuba told a news conference, "We will expand our businesses in a full-fledged manner (to produce) semiconductor components for use in smartphones and tablet computers as their demand is expected to rise."