How this Japanese toilet maker became an unlikely AI winner

toto, the japanese company known for toilets, is seeing demand surge for a very different product: electrostatic chucks. these are components used in semiconductor manufacturing, and they're critical right now because of the memory-chip boom. the company is also working on its core business — it's "aiming to achieve a toilet that never needs cleaning." the electrostatic chuck business has become a significant growth driver. toto's tech helps hold silicon wafers in place during chip production, and with memory makers like samsung and sk hynix ramping up capacity, orders are climbing. the company doesn't break out exact revenue for the chucks, but they've been a bright spot as its toilet sales face headwinds from a weak yen and slower construction in japan.