Ajinomoto Making MSG, the Secret Behind Becoming a 'Core' Player in the Global Semiconductor Industry [Hidden Industry Story]

Japan's Ajinomoto, the World's First MSG Producer
Leverages Chemical Expertise to Exclusively Supply Semiconductor Core Material 'ABF'
"Amino Acids Are Our Monumental Business," Emphasizes R&D Efforts

MSG developed by Tokyo University chemistry professor Kikunae Ikeda, later produced by Ajinomoto / Photo by Ajinomoto website capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Recently, as demand for computer chips has surged centered around electric vehicles, home appliances, and gaming consoles, a 'semiconductor shortage' has emerged. Due to this, companies ranging from foundries that directly manufacture semiconductors to those supplying various materials and equipment are suffering from supply shortages. Amid this worsening shortage, one company is gaining increasing attention. It is the Japanese food company Ajinomoto, which produces the representative seasoning "glutamic acid sodium salt (MSG)".

Ajinomoto, known in Korea as the MSG producer Miwon, exerts a significant influence not only in the food industry but also in the advanced industrial field of semiconductor materials. How did Ajinomoto come to occupy a central position in the global value chain?

◆ President Suzuki Recognized MSG's Potential... Leading the Global Seasoning Industry

Ajinomoto began in 1907 with "Suzuki Pharmaceutical," founded by President Saburosuke Suzuki. One year after establishing the company, in 1908, President Suzuki visited Kikunae Ikeda, a chemistry professor at the University of Tokyo.

At that time, Professor Ikeda had succeeded in isolating "glutamate," a substance that produces a new taste from kelp he frequently ate. He had just developed glutamic acid sodium salt, or MSG, a powder that adds umami flavor to food.

Ajinomoto, a Japanese food seasoning manufacturer logo / Photo by Wikipedia

Recognizing MSG's potential, President Suzuki collaborated with Professor Ikeda and sold MSG under the product name "Ajinomoto (味の素, ajinomoto·source of flavor)," achieving great success.

Although President Suzuki passed away in 1931, the company continued to prosper. One year after the end of World War II, in 1946, the company changed its name to Ajinomoto and embarked on becoming a full-fledged global enterprise.

MSG developed by Ajinomoto has remained the leader in the global seasoning industry for over 100 years. Ajinomoto operates factories in the United States and Europe to produce MSG, and in Korea, MSG is added to various seasonings such as "Miwon," "Mipung," and "Dashida."

However, Ajinomoto's profits do not come solely from MSG. Utilizing the chemical technology used to produce MSG, Ajinomoto succeeded in developing the "micro insulation film," a core material in the modern semiconductor industry.

◆ Development of Insulation Film 'ABF'... Becoming a 'Super Supplier' in the Semiconductor Industry

Today’s microcontrollers, including central processing units (CPUs), are complex devices that require arranging circuits much finer than a single strand of hair on a small silicon substrate.

Therefore, minimizing interference from current flow between circuits is crucial, and Ajinomoto produces "ABF (Ajinomoto Build-up Film)," which solves this problem.

The 'Ajinomoto Build-Up Film,' which suppresses current flow interference between semiconductor circuits, has become a key material in the semiconductor industry. / Photo by Ajinomoto Official Website Capture

Most semiconductor products produced today, including those from Intel, AMD, Nvidia, and ARM, incorporate ABF in their circuits.

Especially since Ajinomoto developed and exclusively supplies this film, core component companies like Ajinomoto inevitably receive "super supplier" status during semiconductor shortages like the current one.

◆ "Amino Acids Are Ajinomoto's Monumental Industry" ? A Triumph of R&D Efforts

So how did Ajinomoto, a seasoning manufacturer, succeed in developing the insulation film, a core component of semiconductors? The answer lies in Ajinomoto's main product, MSG.

MSG is made using glutamic acid, an amino acid that composes proteins. The key material in ABF is also a resin composite based on amino acid chemistry. Ajinomoto fully leveraged its R&D strength specialized in amino acid chemistry to secure a position not only in the food industry but also in semiconductor materials.

In fact, Ajinomoto is known to emphasize R&D so much that it treats basic research on amino acid chemistry as a "monumental business."

According to the official website, Ajinomoto describes amino acids as "the most fundamental components of all living organisms" and states that "research on this is a powerful core competency of our group."

It further emphasizes, "Amino acids are the 'source of life' and are closely connected to our daily lives," adding, "Ajinomoto Group's amino acid research is a monumental business aimed at unraveling one of the great mysteries of the infinite universe."