Coping with Increasing Demand for Semiconductor Memories
TOKYO, Apr 23, 2015 - (ACN Newswire) - Showa Denko (SDK) (TOKYO:4004) has expanded its capacity to produce high-purity hydrogen bromide (HBr), which is used in the manufacture of semiconductors, to 600 tons a year, 1.5 times as much as the previous level. SDK started operation of the expanded HBr plant in this March.
High-purity HBr is a specialty gas mainly used for fine-etching of polysilicon in the manufacturing processes of semiconductors including NAND flash memories and DRAMs. In recent years, the demand for semiconductor memories is increasing very rapidly, centering on the use in portable terminals and data centers. The semiconductor memory market is expected to continue growing at an annual rate of 10% to 20% or more in the future*.
SDK has been producing and selling high-purity HBr since 1993, and also started in-house synthesis of crude HBr in 2008. SDK is the sole company in the world that has integrated HBr production system from synthesis of crude HBr to purification of it to produce high-purity HBr gas. The Company has been expanding the amount of sales of HBr with its efficient and flexible production system and its advanced purification, analysis and quality control technologies. This time, SDK stepped-up its HBr production facility in Kawasaki Plant and established high-purity HBr production system with capacity of 600 tons a year, in order to ensure stable supply to its customers.
Under its medium-term consolidated business plan "PEGASUS Phase II," SDK classifies its business in semiconductor-processing specialty gases in the category of "Growth" business. SDK will aim to further strengthen and expand its specialty gas business, responding rapidly to the expansion of the global semiconductor market.
Note:* This estimate is based on the 2015-2017 world market forecast for NAND flash memories/DRAMs in the "Semiconductor Materials Market and Asia Strategy 2013," published by Fuji Keizai Co., Ltd.
About Showa Denko
Showa Denko K.K. ('SDK'; TSE: 4004, US: SHWDF) is a major manufacturer and marketer of chemical products serving a wide range of fields ranging from heavy industry to the electronic and computer industries. SDK makes petrochemicals (ethylene, propylene), aluminum products (ingots, rods), electronic equipment (hard disks for computers) and inorganic materials (ceramics, carbons). The company has overseas operations and a joint venture with Netherlands-based Montell and Nippon Petrochemicals to make and market polypropylenes. In March 2001, SDK merged with Showa Denko Aluminum Corporation to strengthen the high-value-added fabricated aluminum products operations, and is today developing next-generation optical communications-use wafers. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp/english/.
Source: Showa Denko
Contact:
Public Relations Office Phone: 81-3-5470-3235
Copyright 2015 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
