Tokyo Ohka and Fujifilm expand semiconductor material production

Major semiconductor material manufacturers are significantly increasing production capacity to meet the rising demand for advanced chipmaking processes.

Tokyo Ohka Kogyo has completed a new manufacturing facility in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, representing an investment of approximately 23 billion yen. The facility, which is one of the world's largest for photoresist production, is scheduled to begin operations in November 2026. It aims to enhance the supply of high-quality materials, including EUV (extreme ultraviolet) and ArF (argon fluoride) photoresists, while implementing automation and smart factory technologies to improve efficiency and stability.

In the United States, Fujifilm is investing approximately 30 million yen (18 million USD) to expand its semiconductor material base in Mesa, Arizona. The investment focuses on increasing the production capacity of copper wiring CMP slurries, a material used to flatten semiconductor surfaces. The expansion also includes new equipment for multi-product manufacturing to support advanced packaging and various stages of the semiconductor manufacturing process, from front-end to back-end. These new facilities are expected to be operational by 2027.