Showa Denko K K : SDK to Acquire Air Products’ High-Purity Chlorine Business in Taiwa?To Strengthen Special Material Gas Business by Transfer from Air Products San Fu, Taiwan?
July 31, 2014 at 03:22 am EDT
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SDK to Acquire Air Products' High-Purity Chlorine Business in Taiwan
―To Strengthen Special Material Gas Business by Transfer from Air Products San Fu, Taiwan―
July 31, 2014
Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) has decided to acquire a high-purity chlorine business in Taiwan, in order to strengthen its special material gas business.
Taiwan Showa Chemicals Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TSCM), a subsidiary of SDK, has come to a general agreement with Air Products San Fu Co., Ltd. (APSF), a subsidiary of Air Products and Chemicals Inc., to acquire APSF's high-purity chlorine business including its production facility located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, by transfer, setting the end of August 2014 as the current target date.
High purity chlorine is a special material gas used mainly as an etching gas in the manufacture of semiconductors and LCDs. In the manufacture of semiconductors, a variety of special material gases including high-purity chlorine are used to cope with the progress of miniaturization of electronic devices. Therefore, the demand for high-purity chlorine for this use is expected to remain stable. Moreover, the demand for high-purity chlorine used as an etching gas in the manufacture of LCDs is expected to increase in line with the expanding production of LCDs. In consequence, the annual market size of high-purity chlorine is expected to be about 2,000 tons in 2015.
The Showa Denko Group has a production facility of high-purity chlorine with annual production capacity of 1,000 tons in its Kawasaki Plant. By having additional high-purity chlorine production facility in Taiwan, SDK Group is ready to ensure further stable supply of high-purity chlorine to the growing market in East Asia including China and Taiwan.
The Showa Denko Group classifies its semiconductor-processing high-purity gas business, which includes high-purity chlorine, into the "Growth" category of its business portfolio specified in the ongoing medium term consolidated business plan "PEGASUS Phase II." The SDK Group will accelerate the business expansion of its high-purity gases in the Asian market throughout the period of PEGASUS Phase II that lasts to the end of 2015.
For further information, contact:
PR Office (Phone: 81-3-5470-3235)
Resonac Holding Corporation (formerly Showa Denko KK) is a holding company organized around 7 family of products:
- materials (43.8% of net sales): electronics materials (epoxy molding compounds, die bonding materials, CMP slurries, anisotropic conductive films), printed wiring board materials (copper-clad laminates, photosensitive dry films), mobility components (plastic molded products, friction materials, powder metal products, carbon anode materials for LIBs), energy storage devices and systems (automotive and industrial batteries), and life sciences (diagnostics, contracted manufacturing of regenerative medicine products);
- petrochemical products (19.6%): olefins (polyethylene, polypropylene) and organic chemical products (vinyl acetate monomer, ethyl acetate and plastics);
- chemical products (12.9%): caustic soda, chlorine, liquid ammonia, amino acids, polymers, gas (oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen), etc.;
- electronic components (8.3%): hard disks, semiconductors components, magnetic components, etc.;
- inorganic products (7.1%): ceramics and carbons (graphite electrodes);
- aluminum products (5.3%): aluminum foils, extruded products, forged products, cans, etc.;
- other (3%).
Net sales break down geographically as follows: Japan (53.4%), China (12%), Asia (20.6%) and other (14%).
Showa Denko K K : SDK to Acquire Air Products’ High-Purity Chlorine Business in Taiwa?To Strengthen Special Material Gas Business by Transfer from Air Products San Fu, Taiwan?
RESONAC HOLDING CORPORATION 
