Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. has opened its second factory at Mie Works in Kameyama City, Mie Prefecture in Japan. Particularly, Mie Factory No. 2 is the company’s third plant following Hiratsuka Factory and Mie Factory No. 1.

Primarily, the new plant will produce and supply higher-performance, higher-quality tapes for semiconductor manufacturing processes in response to increasing demand for semiconductors.

The company had infused 7 billion yen (US$44.4 billion) as capital investments for the new plant. It targets to start mass production in April 2025.

Meet Higher Demand for High-Performance ICs

Mainly, Furukawa Electric manufactures and sells temporary fixing tapes, such as back grinding tape and dicing tape. Also, it produces adhesive tapes for semiconductor manufacturing processes. In response to the diversification and higher performance of semiconductor devices, the company has been providing products utilizing its polymer technology, one of its core technologies.

The long-term demand growth for semiconductors prompted the opening of the plant. Primarily, the progress of digitalization and the increasing demand for artificial intelligence products will spur demand for semiconductors. The new plant targets to meet expectations for higher-performance semiconductors.

At present, the company will obtain certification from its customers.

Furukawa Electric expects to achieve sales of several tens of billions of yen in 2025, with overseas sales accounting for more than 80% of total sales. Also, production capacity is expected to increase to 1.5 times the current level, with the goal of full operation by 2030.

This is a translation of an original Japanese article published in Dempa Shimbun Daily.

-18 June 2024-