Issue 14/2022 - Showa Denko and SK Group collaborate to produce electronic special gas in the United States

Showa Denko and SK Group collaborate to produce electronic gas in the U.
S

Showa Electric and SK Co.
, Ltd.
announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding to produce high-purity gases
for semiconductor production in North America.

Showa Denko said that the semiconductor market in various countries continues to grow and geopolitical risks are increasing, but the US government has set out to strengthen its domestic semiconductor industry and invited the company to participate in expanding the semiconductor supply chain
.
The report added that large semiconductor manufacturers are expanding capital investment in the United States to meet their growing demand
for semiconductor materials.

According to Showa Denko, the balance between supply and demand of high-purity gases for wiring processes (front-end processes for semiconductor production) in the United States has been tight, so many semiconductor manufacturers in the United States want to ensure a stable supply
of high-purity gases for semiconductors.
Currently, Showa Electric manufactures high-purity electronic special gases at its Asian plants and then ships the cylinders to the United States
.

Showa Denko said that in the global market for electronic special gas, it has the largest share of the etching gas market, and SK Materials has the largest share
of the clean gas market and the deposited gas market.
In 2017, Showa Electric and SK Materials established a joint venture, SK Showa Denko, to produce high-purity monofluoromethane gas in Korea, a silicon nitride film etching gas
.
SK Showa Denko is also building a plant
to produce hydrogen bromide in South Korea.