Sumitomo Electric Industries
A major Japanese electrical and industrial technology group supplying power cables, optical communications equipment, automotive wiring systems, electronic components, and advanced materials.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Sumitomo Electric Industries is a diversified Japanese manufacturer whose origins lie in copper wire production and whose present activities span automotive systems, information and communications, electronics, energy infrastructure, and industrial materials. Established in Osaka in 1897 as Sumitomo Copper Rolling Works, the company initially supplied copper wire for electrical applications. It progressively expanded into coated wire, power cables, telecommunications cables, special steel wire, carbide tools, rubber products, and other engineered materials before adopting its current corporate name in 1939. The company is part of the Sumitomo Group and operates internationally through a large network of subsidiaries and affiliates. Its corporate businesses are organized around five principal fields: Automotive; Infocommunications; Electronics; Environment and Energy; and Industrial Materials. It has also identified Life Sciences and Materials & Resources as areas for further development. The group combines manufacturing, engineering, product development, infrastructure construction, and technical services rather than functioning only as a conventional cable producer. Automotive is one of its largest activities. Sumitomo Electric supplies wiring harnesses and related systems that distribute electrical power and data throughout vehicles, together with anti-vibration rubber products, electrical components, and other automotive systems. Its automotive wiring-harness business began with products supplied for military jeeps after the Second World War and later expanded into four-wheel vehicles and global vehicle platforms. The business is conducted through a division of responsibilities involving Sumitomo Electric for commercial planning and sales, Sumitomo Wiring Systems for design and manufacturing, and AutoNetworks Technologies for research and development. In information and communications, Sumitomo Electric manufactures optical fiber and cable, connectors, fusion splicers, passive optical network equipment, network-access products, wireless communication devices, antennas, and intelligent transportation systems. The company developed low-loss optical fiber technologies and has supplied products for terrestrial and submarine communications networks. It also participates in traffic-control projects and other infrastructure programs in multiple countries. The electronics portfolio includes flexible printed circuits, electronic wires, heat-shrinkable tubing, fine-polymer products, and compound semiconductors based on materials such as gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, and indium phosphide. These products serve telecommunications, smartphones, displays, optical devices, and other high-performance electronics. Sumitomo Electric has maintained a strong research-and-development orientation, using materials science and process engineering to extend its product range. The Environment and Energy business supplies copper wire rod, high-voltage power cables, railway trolley wires, magnet wires, and related products used in power transmission, transportation, appliances, motors, and automotive electrification. The company has also worked on high-temperature superconducting cables, energy-storage and power-generation demonstrations, offshore-wind-related studies, and other technologies connected with energy-system modernization. Industrial Materials activities include carbide cutting tools, diamond and sintered products, special steel wire, tire-reinforcement steel cord, oil-tempered wire, prestressed-concrete wire, and sintered components for vehicles and appliances. These businesses reflect the group's historical capability in metal processing and engineered materials. Sumitomo Electric's technologies have been used in overseas power, telecommunications, bridge, transport, traffic-management, and environmental projects. Its broad international presence and combination of infrastructure products with automotive and electronic technol…
History
Sumitomo Electric's history began in 1897, when Sumitomo Copper Rolling Works was established to make copper wire for electrical use. The company introduced coated wire in 1900, power cables in 1908, and telecommunications cable production on a trial basis in 1909. In 1911, Sumitomo Electric Wire & Cable Works was established and installed Japan's first domestically produced high-voltage underground cables. A new plant, now known as Osaka Works, opened in 1916, alongside the start of enamel-wire production. The business was incorporated in 1920. During the interwar period, the company diversified beyond basic wire. It began producing cemented-carbide tools in 1931 and special steel wire in 1932. In 1939, it adopted the name Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. The Itami Works opened in 1941, and the company added vibration-resistant rubber products and fuel tanks during the early 1940s. After the war, it established a Tokyo office, entered sintered powder-metal products, and began construction work on overhead transmission lines. The postwar decades brought expansion into communications, automotive systems, electronics, and transportation infrastructure. The company delivered Japan-made television-broadcasting antennas in 1957, opened Yokohama Works in 1961, and supplied wiring harnesses for four-wheel vehicles for the first time that year. It added disc brakes, electron-beam-irradiated products, traffic-control systems, and flexible printed circuits during the 1960s. In 1969, it established its first overseas production subsidiary in Thailand, marking a more systematic international manufacturing strategy. Compound-semiconductor production began in 1970, while optical-fiber cable production began in 1974. International engineering projects became an important part of the business in the 1970s. The company worked on power transmission in Iran, telecommunications network construction in Nigeria, traffic systems in Thailand, and fiber-based communications. In 1978, it delivered a bidirectional fiber-optic CATV system described as the first of its kind. Fiber-optic LAN systems followed in the early 1980s. The company also developed synthetic diamond, compound-semiconductor, and advanced fiber technologies. In 1986, it developed Z-fiber, a low-loss pure-silica-core optical fiber that supported subsequent communications-network applications. From the 1990s onward, Sumitomo Electric continued to broaden its portfolio through environmental cables, high-temperature superconducting-wire research, fine polymers, network equipment, special steel wire, magnet wire, powder-metal products, and hard-metal products. It created or reorganized several operating companies between 2001 and 2004, and made A.L.M.T. a wholly owned subsidiary in 2004. In 2006, a high-temperature superconducting cable was used in a United States power-transmission demonstration. Sumitomo Wiring Systems became wholly owned in 2007, while Nissin Electric became a consolidated subsidiary. Eudyna Devices became wholly owned in 2009 and was renamed Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations. The company continued investing in laboratories, technical training, energy demonstrations, optical networking, and automotive materials. It opened a technical training center in 2008 and a laboratory facility known as WinD Lab in 2010. In 2011 and 2012, it conducted megawatt-scale power-generation and storage demonstrations at Osaka and Yokohama Works. It also pursued offshore-wind-related commercialization studies and obtained certification for an optical Thunderbolt cable before beginning commercial production. In 2013, it established an automotive aluminum-electric-wire manufacturing base in Thailand. Today, Sumitomo Electric remains an active global industrial group. Its automotive wiring systems, optical communications products, power cables, electronic components, semiconductor materials, and industrial products are sold and manufactured across multiple regions. The company continues to emphasize research and development, infrastructure applications, vehicle electrification, communications capacity, energy resilience, and advanced materials.
- 2012
Optical Thunderbolt cable certification
[1]The company obtained certification for an optical Thunderbolt cable and began commercial production.
- 2007
Sumitomo Wiring Systems becomes wholly owned
[1]The automotive wiring-systems company became a wholly owned subsidiary, strengthening integration of the automotive business.
- 1986
Low-loss Z-fiber developed
[1]Sumitomo Electric developed a low-loss pure-silica-core optical fiber for advanced communications networks.
- 1978
Bidirectional fiber-optic CATV system delivered
[1]The company delivered and commissioned a bidirectional fiber-optic cable-television system known as Hi-OVIS.
- 1974
Optical-fiber cable production begins
[1]The company began producing optical-fiber cables for emerging high-capacity communications networks.
- 1970
Compound-semiconductor production begins
[1]Sumitomo Electric entered compound-semiconductor manufacturing for communications and electronic applications.
- 1969
First overseas production subsidiary
[1]A production subsidiary was established in Thailand, beginning the group's overseas manufacturing expansion.
- 1961
Automotive wiring-harness supply begins
[1]The company supplied wiring harnesses for four-wheel vehicles for the first time.
- 1939
Current corporate name adopted
[1]The company changed its name to Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
- 1911
Wire and cable works established
[1]Sumitomo Electric Wire & Cable Works was established and installed Japan's first domestically made high-voltage underground cables.
Products and positioning
A research-intensive, vertically integrated electrical and materials technology group serving automotive, communications, energy, electronics, and industrial customers.
Automotive systems · 1949
Automotive wiring harness systems
Wiring harnesses distribute electrical power and data throughout vehicles. Sumitomo Electric's automotive activity grew from early supplies for military jeeps and four-wheel vehicles into a global systems business supporting conventional, hybrid, and increasingly electrified vehicles. The wider operating structure combines Sumitomo Electric's commercial planning and sales, Sumitomo Wiring Systems' design and manufacturing, and AutoNetworks Technologies' research and development.
Information and communications · 1974
Optical fiber and communications cable
The company produces optical fiber, fiber-optic cables, connectors, fusion splicers, and related components for telecommunications infrastructure. Its low-loss fiber technologies have been used in terrestrial, submarine, access, and data-network applications. The portfolio also includes passive optical network equipment and other network-access products.
Energy infrastructure · 1908
Power transmission cables
Sumitomo Electric supplies copper-based and advanced high-voltage cable systems for electricity transmission and distribution. The business includes underground power cables and research into high-temperature superconducting cables intended to improve transmission capacity and support modern power grids.
Electronic devices · 1970
Compound semiconductors
The electronics business develops compound-semiconductor materials and devices based on gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, and indium phosphide. These materials are used in optical transmitters, semiconductor lasers, light-emitting devices, mobile communications, and equipment associated with newer wireless networks.
Electronic components · 1969
Flexible printed circuits
Flexible printed circuits provide lightweight, space-efficient electrical connections for compact electronic products. Sumitomo Electric develops flexible circuit materials and assemblies for applications including smartphones, displays, and other densely integrated consumer and industrial electronics.
Industrial materials · 1931
Hard-metal cutting tools
The industrial-materials portfolio includes cemented-carbide and related hard-metal tools for high-speed, high-precision machining. These products serve automotive, machinery, metalworking, and other manufacturing industries where wear resistance and dimensional accuracy are important.
Brand decisions
2007
Full ownership of Sumitomo Wiring SystemsM&ABackground
Automotive wiring harnesses had become a major global business requiring coordinated development, manufacturing, and customer support.
Action taken
Sumitomo Electric made Sumitomo Wiring Systems a wholly owned subsidiary.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened the group's control and integration of its automotive wiring-harness operations.
1969
International manufacturing expansionStrategyBackground
Growing demand for electrical, automotive, and infrastructure products required the company to build production capacity closer to overseas customers.
Action taken
Sumitomo Electric established its first overseas production subsidiary in Thailand.
Aftermath
The move became an early foundation for the group's later international manufacturing and subsidiary network.
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