Fujifilm to invest ¥10 billion to quintuple magnetic tape capacity
Fujifilm plans to spend about ¥10 billion at its Odawara site from fiscal 2026 through fiscal 2028 to increase magnetic tape production capacity fivefold.
Tape is back, and it is wearing gold. Fujifilm has decided to invest about ¥10 billion (roughly $63 million, according to Tom's Hardware) at its Odawara site in Kanagawa to raise data storage magnetic tape capacity about fivefold from fiscal 2025, measured by shipment capacity.
The spending runs from fiscal 2026 through fiscal 2028 and goes to expanded manufacturing facilities and more personnel. Fujifilm calls it the largest it has ever made in dedicated facilities for LTO tape. Nikkei Asia says it is the company's biggest tape investment in roughly 20 years. Fujifilm also says it holds the top global share of the tape market.
One line of context: The Register notes that worldwide LTO shipments slipped in 2025 to 160.3 exabytes, down from a record 176.5 exabytes in 2024. The LTO Program blamed macroeconomic conditions, with sales rebounding late in the year.
What we do not know: how many people Fujifilm will hire, and what the fiscal 2025 baseline actually is. The announcement gives neither.
My take? A company with a head start since the 1950s is putting its largest-ever LTO check behind the oldest storage medium in the building, just as the machines need somewhere to keep everything. I find that magnificent.
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Sources
- Fujifilm to Increase Production Capacity for Data Storage Magnetic Tape by Five Times, Fujifilm
- As AI revives magnetic tape, Fujifilm plans biggest buildup in two decades, Nikkei Asia
- Tape is so not dead that Fujifilm will increase production capacity 5x, The Register
- Fujifilm plans 5x production boost of 100TB magnetic storage tapes driven by skyrocketing AI storage demand, Tom's Hardware
Meanwhile at the anchor desk
A fivefold increase from a baseline the announcement doesn't quantify is a ratio with no denominator. I will also note that shipments fell in 2025, so the demand curve is rising mostly in the press release.
What the money builds: tenth-generation LTO at 30TB or 40TB native, 400 MB/s. LTO-10 drives can't read earlier generations, so check your library before you cheer.
