SK Materials, Joint Expansion into Japanese and North American Semiconductor Markets

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Hyung-gil] SK Materials, a specialty materials technology company, announced on the 29th that it is seeking ways to jointly enter the North American semiconductor market with Showa Denko, a comprehensive Japanese materials company.

On the same day, SK Materials signed a business agreement with Showa Denko at Showa Denko's headquarters in Japan to "explore joint entry into the North American semiconductor materials market."

The two companies established the joint venture SK Showa Denko in Yeongju City in 2017 and have maintained the global market share No. 1 by producing etching gas for 3D NAND (monofluoromethane, CH3F). They are also constructing a mass production plant for the localization of next-generation essential etching gas (hydrogen bromide, HBr) used in memory semiconductor production, scheduled for completion in July.

Building on the successful cooperation case in Korea, they plan to quickly capture various business opportunities in North America based on trust and technological capabilities and seek greater growth. Through this agreement, they will jointly review the optimal business model and investment economics for semiconductor specialty gas materials.

Lee Yong-wook, CEO of SK Materials, said, "Based on the influence of both companies in the semiconductor materials industry and the favorable market outlook, I am pleased that this business agreement provides an opportunity to discuss in depth the direction of the North American business."