TDK Corporation has agreed to acquire San Diego-based Fabric8Labs for up to $400 million in cash, the Japanese electronics giant announced June 10. The deal combines an upfront payment with a multi-year earnout. Upon closing, Fabric8Labs will become a wholly owned subsidiary of TDK, subject to regulatory clearances.
Founded in 2015, Fabric8Labs has roughly 150 employees and holds patents on a metal 3D printing process called Electrochemical Additive Manufacturing, or ECAM, which builds high-precision metal components through an electrochemical process. The company’s technology is already used in electronics, medical devices, communications, and semiconductor applications, with a specific focus on thermal management components for data center cooling systems.
TDK’s interest isn’t new. The Tokyo-based company’s venture capital arm, TDK Ventures, backed Fabric8Labs at the seed stage. Other investors in the company include New Enterprise Associates, Intel Capital, Lam Capital, and SE Ventures, Schneider Electric’s venture fund.
TDK President and CEO Noboru Saito said in a statement: “This acquisition marks a pivotal step in accelerating TDK’s value creation. By harmonizing our technologies with Fabric8Labs’ innovative capabilities, we will be uniquely positioned to provide customers with innovative thermal management systems, high-efficiency power components, and advanced packaging techniques that define the next generation of data center performance.”
Fabric8Labs CEO and co-founder Jeff Herman said the deal’s appeal is about scale. “Joining TDK group will give us the resources to scale our technology globally and to supply our current and future Tier 1 customers with the solutions they need with confidence in our ability to scale while we remain focused on our core mission,” Herman said.
TDK, which posted $16.6 billion in total sales in fiscal 2026 and employs about 107,000 people worldwide, is being advised by San Francisco-based GTK Partners on the financial side and Baker McKenzie as legal counsel.
Source: tdk.com
