Key Material Expansion! Asahi Kasei's Fuji City Plant to Double PSPI Production Capacity, Boosting Semiconductor Manufacturing

According to the consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal, as the global semiconductor industry enters a new growth cycle, revenue is expected to exceed $1 trillion by the mid-2030s. Asahi Kasei predicts that the demand for next-generation semiconductor intermediate film insulation materials will continue to grow rapidly at an average annual growth rate of 8%.

To meet this rapidly growing demand, Asahi Kasei completed the construction of a new plant for the production of photosensitive polyimide (brand name: Pimel) in Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture, in December 2024. Subsequently, the company decided to further expand production in Fuji City, aiming to double the 2024 production capacity by 2030. This expansion is expected to significantly enhance the supply resilience of essential materials for semiconductor manufacturing. Asahi Kasei will invest approximately 16 billion yen in this expansion.

This material is used worldwide for various semiconductor applications, such as buffer coatings, which can improve the adhesion between different semiconductor materials and act as protective barriers. These coatings help protect delicate semiconductor devices from mechanical stress and contamination during post-processing steps, such as mounting the chips onto substrates.

PSPI is also used for passivation layers, for bumps, to protect the semiconductor surface from damage or oxidation. Additionally, this material is used in redistribution layers (RDL) to optimize electrical connections and achieve high-density circuit design by adjusting the terminal pitch of integrated packages. These attributes make PSPI an important component of the global semiconductor supply chain and a favorable material for the development of next-generation generative artificial intelligence.

Nobuko Uetake, Senior Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei and key leader of the company's electronic materials business, commented: "The rapid growth of generative artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies is driving unprecedented demand for semiconductor materials such as Pimel PSPI. This investment enables Asahi Kasei to seize this growth by enhancing our supply capabilities and strengthening our role as a reliable partner to global semiconductor manufacturers. It supports our broader strategy of building long-term value in high-growth, high-impact industries."