German Merck: "Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix Collaborate Closely"

"Asia, a Major Semiconductor Hub... Korea Is a Key Country"

German semiconductor company Merck has announced plans to strengthen its research and development (R&D) and production hubs through close collaboration with major domestic companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. It also revealed plans to respond to new challenges, including expanding its next-generation materials business used in artificial intelligence (AI) chips.

Anand Nambiar, Merck's Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), stated at a press conference held on the 20th in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, "Asia accounts for 80% of semiconductor production capacity," adding, "In particular, South Korea and Taiwan are key countries producing semiconductors." He further noted, "The United States has been trying to regain lost dominance over the past few years, and India is emerging as a new player, but its technology level is still in the early stages."

Anand Nambiar, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Merck, is introducing the outlook on changes in the artificial intelligence (AI) market and Merck's business plans at a press conference held on the 20th in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jang Hee-jun

Kim Woo-kyu, CEO of Merck Korea, responded to a question about specific collaborations planned this year with domestic semiconductor companies such as Samsung Electronics by saying, "Without close cooperation with customers like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, it would be difficult for Merck to succeed in the projects we are pursuing," adding, "We are working very closely with both companies."

Merck, with a history spanning 357 years, first invested in Korea in 1898 and has been focusing on the electronics sector centered on semiconductors for 36 years. In the second half of last year, it opened a Spin-On Dielectric (SOD) Application Center in Anseong and invested in a new product line at its Eumseong plant. This year, it plans to strengthen its production hub by executing capital expenditures (CapEx) to enhance production capabilities for thin film materials and specialty gases.

Previously, Merck announced a large-scale investment project, including a plan in 2021 to invest 600 million euros (approximately 860 billion KRW) in Korea by 2025. Senior Vice President Nambiar commented on this, saying, "As the AI market approaches $1 trillion, it is time to consider additional investments," and explained, "There is significant demand in the AI sector, but uncertainty remains in non-AI sectors, so decisions must be made while monitoring the market conditions in each country."

CEO Kim added, "Merck considers Korea, a key player in the global semiconductor supply chain, as a core hub for R&D and production," and pledged, "We will faithfully fulfill our investment commitments to strengthen local capabilities."

Since the 19th, Merck has been showcasing AI-based material solutions and digitalization capabilities at 'SEMICON Korea 2025,' the largest semiconductor exhibition in Korea, held over three days at COEX. In particular, Merck explained that through its Materials Intelligence Platform, it is developing new material solutions for AI-enabled technologies critical to process miniaturization, such as Gate-All-Around (GAA), high-density memory, and high-bandwidth memory (HBM).