Showa Denko will expand its production capacity for high purity ammonia with a purity level 5N or more at production centers in Japan, Taiwan, and China.

The production capacity at these 3 production centers will be increased to 5,000 tons a year from the current capacity of 3,000 tons by the end of 2011. The company intends to secure a stable supply set up for East Asia where the market for NH3 shows promise of expansion.

At the production centers in each country, Showa Denko will increase production in Japan (Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture) to 1,500 tons a year from 1,000 tons a year, in Taiwan to 2,500 tons a year from 1,500 tons a year, and in China to 1,000 tons a year from 500 tons a year. Construction to implement this expansion will begin in this year, aiming at expanding filling and storage facilities and rationalization of the production processes. The investment for the 3 production centers amounts to a total of ￥1 billion.

The demand for NH3 has been increasing mainly in East Asia in the LCD, LED, polycrystalline silicon solar cell, and semiconductor sectors. Sumitomo Seika Chemicals, Air Products, and Linde have invested in setting up new production centers overseas for NH3.

Showa Denko also regards electronics gases, including NH3, as a growing and developing business in its medium-term business plan, and it is aiming at expansion of the business of these gases. The company is trying to expand this business by enhancing the capacity of its existing products and promoting development of new products such as high purity carbonyl fluoride (COF2) and hydrogen selenide (H2Se).