The race for advanced semiconductors is fiercer than ever, and FUJIFILM Corporation is taking bold strides to meet the growing demand. With a 4-billion-yen (approx. 25 million EUR) investment, the company is expanding its Belgium-based production facilities to boost the manufacturing of CMP slurries and photolithography-related materials — key components in next-generation semiconductors.
CMP (Chemical Mechanical Planarization) slurries are specialized chemical mixtures used in semiconductor manufacturing to polish and smoothen the surface of silicon wafers. These slurries contain abrasive particles, chemical agents, stabilizers and dispersants, and help produce ultra-flat, defect-free wafers.
However, as semiconductors become smaller and more powerful, achieving flawless wafer surfaces is more challenging than ever. Thus, Fujifilm’s CMP slurry technology is at the heart of the latest investment. The company’s state-of-the-art CMP slurries are designed to tackle these challenges, ensuring the next generation of chips operates at peak performance.
But that’s only a part of Fujifilm’s foray into increasing its semiconductor footprint; the company also enhances its production of photolithography-related materials—used in the intricate process of etching circuit patterns onto silicon wafers. With this dual investment, the company is reinforcing its commitment to semiconductor innovation from start to finish.
You might wonder why Fujifilm chose Belgium. The main reason is that Europe is fast becoming a strategic battleground for semiconductor manufacturing. With a high demand for automotive and industrial semiconductors, companies are racing to secure a stable supply of key materials. By positioning its manufacturing in Belgium, the Japanese giant will enjoy the strong European supply chain and reduce reliance on imports.
However, the Belgium manufacturing plant is only one of many Fujifilm plans to open worldwide. The company is on a global semiconductor mission, with production hubs in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and the USA. The addition of Belgium to this network strengthens Fujifilm’s commitment to delivering high-quality semiconductor materials worldwide.
With all the latest investments in CMP slurries and photolithography materials, Fujifilm ensures it can keep up with technological breakthroughs in the semiconductor industry. Whether it’s self-driving cars, AI-powered devices, or ultra-fast communication networks, the future of technology starts at the microscopic level—with precision-engineered semiconductors.
Article source by FujiFilm
Photo by Laura Ockel on Unsplash
