Hitachi Chemical Co. Ltd. of Japan will build an NT$770 million (US$25.5 million) plant in southern Taiwan in order to expand its production of chemical mechanical planarization slurry, according to the Executive Yuan’s InvesTaiwan Service Center Dec. 22.
Construction on the new plant, which will be located in Tainan City, is set to kick off in the first half of 2012, with production scheduled to begin in April, 2013.
CMP is a technique for polishing and smoothing uneven wafer surfaces generated in the process of isolating semiconductor devices or wiring, and CMP slurry is a polishing liquid used for this purpose, according to Hitachi Chemical.
ISC said Hitachi Chemical has been keen on finding a new production base in order to spread its risks more evenly, ever since the devastating March 11 earthquake in Japan.
As Taiwan accounts for over 90 percent of Hitachi Chemical’s CMP abrasive market, the company decided to open its new factory on the island, according to the ISC.
Hitachi Chemical generated NT$192.5 billion in revenues last year and employed 15,930 employees worldwide.
ISC said the ROC government is proactive in providing streamlined administrative services for foreign enterprises interested in setting headquarters, production centers, and R&D institutes in Taiwan.
More than 10 investment projects by Japanese corporations, including one by Fujimi Inc., the world’s largest synthetic precision abrasive manufacturer for silicon wafers, have been completed with ISC assistance. (HZW)
Write to Aaron Hsu at pj1210meister@mail.gio.gov.tw