New opportunities in the computing power sector! LG, Asahi Kasei, and Sumitomo Chemical announce expansion plans one after another.

LG Chem enters stripper supply, doubling down on high-value semiconductor materials business

On July 8, LG Chem announced that the company has obtained supplier qualification to Amkor methodology's semiconductor strippers, officially entering this niche material segment to accelerate the extensive expansion of its semiconductor materials business. Strippers are a critical consumable in semiconductor back-end manufacturing, applied to remove photoresist from substrates and process residue impurities. LG Chem's self-developed stripper items have passed Amkor methodology's rigorous certification, with photoresist removal efficiency increased by 50% compared to traditional items, efficiently shortening the process duration.

At the strategic level, LG Chem continues to tilt resources towards the layout of high-value electronic chemicals. In June this year, the company disclosed its prolonged R&D plan, investing a cumulative 15 trillion KRW in R&D funds by 2035, with 70% allocated to the semiconductor, automotive materials, and robotics materials sectors. The semiconductor business focuses on developing high-end items such as packaging adhesives, low-dielectric materials, thermal regulation materials, and glass substrates; leveraging existing advantages in copper clad laminates, chip bonding films, and photosensitive insulating materials, the company has set a goal to surpass 2 trillion KRW in revenue to its electronic materials business by 2030.

Asahi Kasei expands dry film photoresist production in Taiwan, simultaneously iterating multiple new packaging insulation materials

On July 3, Asahi Kasei announced that the new slitting production line to SUNFORT™ dry film photoresist at its Tainan, Taiwan plant has been completed and officially put into operation in July.

The project involves a total investment of 2 billion yen. The production line is equipped with high-grade clean production equipment, and upon operation, dry film photoresist capacity will increase by 40%, supporting a doubling of production volume. Asahi Kasei has been conducting dry film slitting processing at the Tainan base since 1997; this expansion improves the localized delivery chain to meet the supply needs of Taiwan's semiconductor packaging sector cluster. The slitting process immediately determines the precision of the finished film and delivery stability. Asahi Kasei's SUNFORT™ dry film is compatible with both traditional stepper exposure and laser direct imaging equipment, enabling ultra-high-precision circuit transfer on substrates and enhancing cutting-edge packaging process performance.

Asahi Kasei has positioned electronic materials as a core development segment, continuously iterating packaging materials adapted to AI chips. In might 2025, it will launch the new generation SUNFORT™ TA dry film photoresist to cutting-edge packaging adapted to AI servers; in might 2026, a new photosensitive polyimide film will be developed and launched. Customer validation is currently underway, and it will subsequently be applied to packaging redistribution layers and substrate insulation layers, with commercialization expected.

Sumitomo Chemical partners with Samsung Electro-Mechanics to establish a joint venture, tackling the industrialization of glass core substrates

On July 2, Sumitomo Chemical officially announced that its wholly-owned Korean subsidiary, Dongwoo Fine-Chem, has signed a joint venture agreement with Samsung Electro-Mechanics to establish a new joint venture, Glassem, in 2026. Samsung Electro-Mechanics will hold 66% and Dongwoo Fine-Chem 34%. The JV will focus on the R&D, production, and sales of cutting-edge packaging glass core substrates, integrating the material and substrate manufacturing methodology reserves of both parties. The plan is to establish a complete supply system in the second half of fiscal 2027 and gradually expand production.

The advantages of the supporting manufacturing chain are significant. Dongwoo Fine-Chem has been deeply engaged in semiconductor chemicals, photoresists, and optical films to over 30 years, possessing full-process mass production supporting capabilities to glass substrates; Samsung Electro-Mechanics has years of experience in the design and manufacturing of high-layer-count, high-density packaging substrates. The two parties collaborate to bridge the upstream and downstream links of glass core substrates.

Beyond the layout of glass substrates, Sumitomo Chemical's material capacities continue to land: in might 2026, a subsidiary will launch the world's first low α radiation spherical alumina, adapted to cutting-edge packaging heat dissipation needs; in April, construction of the Osaka cutting-edge Photoresist methodology Center was launched, covering the R&D and production of EUV and ArF high-end photoresists, with expected completion by the end of 2027.

Glass core substrates adapt to high-end computing chips, global manufacturing chain accelerates industrialization

Glass core substrates are the core carrier of a new generation of packaging, possessing characteristics such as dimensional stability, low warpage, and low coefficient of thermal expansion. They can support substantial-size packaging and high-density wiring, perfectly matching the methodology upgrade trends of HBM, Chiplet, and AI computing chips. The proliferation of generative AI and the expansion of data center investment are driving demand to high-performance chips, making glass substrates the core carrier to next-generation cutting-edge packaging, with global leading companies advancing production line construction.

The implementation rhythm of overseas manufacturers is clear: Intel is transforming a US factory to build the world's first mass production base to glass substrates, sending mature packaging samples in 2026 and releasing capacity on a substantial scale in 2027; TSMC is building a CoWoS glass substrate pilot line, with mass production expected to be realized in 2 to 3 years.

Domestic companies simultaneously tackle technical problems, with multiple breakthroughs across the entire glass substrate sector chain

Multiple domestic companies are simultaneously advancing the R&D and production line construction of glass-based packaging substrates, with technical validation ongoing.

BOE initiated preliminary research on glass substrate methodology in 2020, successively investing 390 million yuan in a wafer-level innovation platform and 993 million yuan in a panel-level glass substrate test line. The test line has a designed monthly capacity of 1,000 pieces, and full automation connection is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026. The company has mastered the full-process flow of TGV via formation, copper filling, and layer addition wiring, and completed the submission of 20-layer substantial-size high-layer-count glass substrate samples. Some clients have passed concept certification and entered the testing stage, however mass supply and revenue realization have not yet been achieved. In might, BOE reached a strategic cooperation with Corning, covering glass substrates, foldable glass, and perovskite substrates, with the cooperation entering a substantive implementation stage; on July 2, multiple core glass substrate samples were showcased at an investor day event.

Lens methodology disclosed on July 3 that it is jointly developing 22-layer glass core substrates with domestic and overseas chip and packaging/testing customers. Validation by Korean clients is basically completed, and testing by North American clients is proceeding steadily; simultaneously, a 30,000 square meter specialized TGV plant is under construction, planned to be put into production within the year to match client needs. Currently, this business has no revenue, and there is uncertainty regarding manufacturing implementation.

Consumables leader Dinglong Shares has entered the supporting supply chain to glass substrates. On July 7, its polishing pad product won an order from a major panel-level packaging client, supporting glass substrate production lines in bulk, marking another key breakthrough following 2.5D/3D packaging. In June, the company announced the construction of a new third soft polishing pad production line in Qianjiang, focusing on glass substrate CMP polishing pads and extra-substantial size polishing pads. The total investment is 30 million yuan, with a planned annual capacity of 300,000 pieces. Completion and production are expected by the end of 2026, perfecting the domestic supporting consumables chain to glass substrates.