Showa Denko Concludes MOU with SK Inc. to Give Consideration to a Plan to Cooperatively Produce High-Purity Gases for Semiconductors in North America – QNT Press Release

Aiming to Start Production of High Purity Gases in the US

TOKYO, June 29, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – On June 29, 2022, Showa Denko KK (SDK) (TOKYO: 4004) and SK Incorporated concluded a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to give consideration to a plan to start cooperative work to produce high-purity gases, which are used in semiconductor production processes, in North America.

While semiconductor markets in various countries continue to grow and geopolitical risks are increasing, the US Government has embarked on strengthening domestic semiconductor industry and inviting supply chain of semiconductors into the country. As a result of this movement, large manufacturers of semiconductors are increasing their capital investment in the United States, and the demand for materials for semiconductors in the country is growing. Supply-demand balance of high-purity gases for wiring process (front-end of semiconductor production process) in the US has been tightening. Therefore, many semiconductor manufacturers in the US want to secure stable supply of high-purity gases for semiconductors. On the other hand, SDK’s business segment to produce high purity gases for semiconductors has established and continues strengthening high-purity gas supply chain in which the Company producing high- purity gases and filling it into cylinders in its Asian facilities, and transporting those cylinders to the US. Therefore, there are…