On October 30, Showa Denko established a joint venture named Chengdu Kemeite Showa Electronic Materials with a Chinese SPG manufacturer of Chengdu Kemeite Special Gas for a scheduled start of commercial operation in January 2021.

The new company capitalized at RMB 4 million (equivalent to JPY63.7 million) with the investment of 40% by Showa Denko and 60% by Chengdu Kemeite will be assigned to produce and sell carbon tetrafluoride (CF4) which is a sort of etching gas for semiconductor and LCD.

According to Showa Denko, it has taken a strategy to have a dual-based system including the Kawasaki Business Operations by means of the JV establishment, foreseeing a steady growth of demand for CF4 based on the fact that there is an expanded demand in the field of the organic EL production process like in the semiconductor production.

Showa Denko is also planning to reinforce further its semiconductor process material business from now on.