Japan's Renesas sees fire-damaged chip plant back to full capacity by mid-June

FILE PHOTO: Renesas Electronics Corp's logo is seen on its product at the company's conference in Tokyo, Japan, April 11, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo

TOKYO (Reuters) -Renesas Electronics Corp on Tuesday said restoring full production capacity at a fire-damaged chip plant in Japan would take longer than expected, predicting a return to normal by mid-June rather than the previously estimated end of May.

Capacity on the Naka plant's 300mm chip line in eastern Japan had returned to about 88% of pre-fire levels at the end of May, the company said in a statement. All new equipment would be installed and switched on "by mid-June", it added.