Hitachi, if it goes ahead, will be following Showa Denko, which announced in June that it would increase by 50% its output in China of alloys used in magnets for hybrids.

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To safeguard continuing access to rare earths, and to ensure production capability, Hitachi Metal has planned by 2013, and TDK in cooperation with Showa Denko have planned by 2014, to manufacture the magnets in China in (presumably obligatory) joint ventures with China partners.

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