[Featured Stock] Protek Develops Equipment to Increase Production 100-Fold Amid Semiconductor Shortage... Potential Supply to Samsung and SK Hynix Highlighted

[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] The stock price of Protek, a semiconductor process equipment manufacturer, is on the rise. Amid forecasts of a semiconductor shortage, the possibility has emerged that the company could supply equipment capable of increasing semiconductor production by up to 100 times to Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and others.

As of 10:25 AM on the 26th, Protek's stock price recorded 29,000 KRW, up 8.21% from the previous day. With the semiconductor supply shortage intensifying to the extent that governments of the United States, Japan, Germany, and other countries have appealed to the Taiwanese government to increase semiconductor supply, news of the development of equipment that improves production speed appears to have acted as a positive factor.

According to foreign media including the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on the same day, a Taiwanese government official stated, "Due to the global shortage of automotive semiconductors, since the end of last year, requests to increase semiconductor supply have been received through diplomatic channels from various countries." The Taiwanese Ministry of Economic Affairs is reportedly urging companies such as TSMC and UMC to expedite the expansion of automotive semiconductor production.

Meanwhile, Protek developed the 'Gangbonder,' a production equipment specialized for flexible device manufacturing, together with the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials in the first half of this year. This equipment is evaluated to have significantly increased production speed by packaging semiconductors at the panel level rather than at the wafer or individual chip level. It is reported to be up to 100 times faster than existing general post-process technology (TC Bonder).

Founded in 1997, Protek has a track record of supplying products to Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and SK Hynix, raising expectations that it could supply Gangbonder equipment to these companies. Protek already conducted tests last year with domestic semiconductor manufacturers to review the mass production feasibility of the Gangbonder.