Tokyo-based Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) has expanded high-purity ammonia production capacity at a plant in Taiwan (owned by its manufacturing subsidiary) from 2500 tons per year to 3500 tons per year.
SDK has three sites for producing high-purity ammonia, in Japan (1500t/y at SDK's Kawasaki Plant), China (2000t/y at joint venture Zhejiang Quzhou Juhua Showa Electronic Chemical Materials Co Ltd) and Taiwan (now 3500t/y at Taiwan Showa Chemicals Manufacturing Co Ltd in Tainan City). Total production capacity has hence now been increased to 7000 tons per year.
SDK has been producing and selling high-purity ammonia in Taiwan since 2005 (for use in forming nitride films in the production of compound semiconductor components such as LEDs as well as LCD panels). Sales in Taiwan have been increasing as the market for LEDs and LCD panels in that region has been growing, says the firm. Furthermore, demand for high-purity ammonia is expected to increase in the ASEAN region in the future.
The market for electronic materials and components has been growing, focused on East Asia, says SDK. Moreover, the amount of high-purity gases used in production is expected to continue rising due to progress in the miniaturization and multilayer structures of integrated circuits and the development of LCDs toward higher definition.
SDK says that, in its new medium-term business plan 'Project 2020+' (starting in January), it has positioned its electronic-material-processing high-purity gas business as a 'growth-accelerating business'.
