On April 8, Mitsui Chemicals Co., Ltd. announced that it would increase the production of special resin tape (ICROS™ tape) used in the semiconductor manufacturing process. It invested nearly 10 billion yen (equivalent to approximately 600 million yuan) in its facility in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The factory is expanding and upgrading its equipment.
The expanded factory is scheduled to start operations in 2023, which can increase its production capacity in Taiwan, China by more than 2 times. The completion and commissioning of this expansion project will help cope with the continued growth of semiconductors due to the popularization of smartphones and the Internet of Things.
ICROS™ tape is a product jointly developed by Mitsui Chemicals and its wholly-owned subsidiary Mitsui Chemicals Higashi Cello. It is a protective tape required in the semiconductor manufacturing process. It is attached to the surface of the front circuit during the polishing of the back of the semiconductor substrate to prevent damage and contamination. In particular, it has the world's highest market share in the back grinding process of silicon wafers.
At present, the tape is produced in factories in Nagoya City and Taiwan, China. According to Mitsui Chemicals, the company's scale in this field is the world's largest, accounting for about 40% of the global market.
In the context of the popularization of the high-speed communication standard 5G and the electrification of automobiles, the semiconductor market is expected to continue to grow rapidly. According to World Semiconductor Market Statistics (WSTS), it is expected that the market size in 2021 will increase by more than 8% year-on-year, setting a new historical record.