Fujifilm arm likely to start producing chip raw materials by 2028

Fujifilm Electronic Materials aims to begin producing semiconductor raw materials in India by 2028, exploring independent units, licensing partnerships, or joint ventures

Japanese chemicals-to-camera equipment maker Fujifilm's arm, Fujifilm Electronic Materials, plans to begin India production of raw materials — used in semiconductor chip fabrication and packaging — by late 2027 or early 2028. This was revealed by Tetsuya Iwasaki, corporate senior vice-president and general manager of its electronics business division.

 

“We have many products, and we are studying which ones are better suited for Indian companies. We would like to begin production before 2028, if possible. Ideally, we would also like to export such products from India to other regions,” Iwasaki said.

 

The company is considering a three-pronged approach, wherein it will either initiate production independently or collaborate with an Indian partner on a licensing basis, Iwasaki said. A third approach would be to consider setting up joint ventures with Indian companies. Also, it would initiate the manufacturing of raw materials, such as chemicals, in the country.

 

Fujifilm Electronic Material is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Fujifilm Corporation and was incorporated in 1983. It is a major supplier of semiconductor raw materials, including specialty chemicals, to global semiconductor chip fabricating and packaging companies such as Intel, Micron, Samsung, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), among others. 

 

The business division has production and research and development (R&D) sites across Japan, Belgium, Taiwan, China, South Korea, and the US. The company also has plans to introduce new production units in the UK, France, Italy, and Singapore.

 

There are several chemicals involved in the semiconductor fabrication process. The chemicals needed in both the process and the backend process are “strong candidates” for the first raw material Fujifilm wants to start producing in India, he said.

 

“We are already doing it in this way for companies like Micron or even other Japanese firms. That area still has a powerful chance for the first production base in India,” Iwasaki said.

 

Although the purity of chemicals required as raw materials in the chip-fabrication process is very high, Fujifilm is confident of meeting the standards, as it has been doing such production in other countries across the globe, he said.

 

“We are doing this globally. That means we have a very high level of capability. Working together, our chemists, analysts, and engineers cooperate with each other. We are confident of doing that compared to any other competitors or peers,” Iwasaki said.