AZ Electronic Materials to Expand Facility in Hsinchu, Taiwan

Taipei - AZ Electronic Materials, the independent specialty chemicals company, today announces it plans to significantly expand its photoresist facility and production in Hsinchu, Taiwan and will invest NTD 256 million (€6.25 million) in the expansion.

AZ Electronic Materials is the world’s leading manufacturer and developer of photoresists for the FPD (flat panel display) market, and has the majority market share in Taiwan. To date, AZ Electronic Materials has produced its photoresists through using bulk production in Japan, and then customized the products in the Hsinchu facility in Taiwan. In response to the high demand for photoresist products in Taiwan, AZ Electronic Materials has committed to expanding the facility, and to producing semi-finished products in Taiwan, thereby no longer using the bulk production in Japan. This will provide a secure supply chain for AZ’s customers and will also provide time and cost efficiencies for customers.

As part of the expansion, AZ Electronic Materials will extend the facility, construct a refrigerated warehouse, all fully equipped with safety precautions and feature, increase its storage capacity and the install process equipment, and quality control equipment and tools.

The construction of the extension is planned to start in January 2007, and will be completed by October 2007. It is expected that it will take a further 12 months to be fully operational. The cost of the investment of NTD 256 million includes all the building, design, licensing, commissioning and equipment.

Natsuo Watase, Country Head of AZ Electronic Materials in Taiwan said, "We are delighted to be able to expand our facility in Hsinchu. Through having additional capacity, and being able to make more products directly in Taiwan, we hope to be able to continue to provide the highest quality products for our customers, and to be able to meet increased demand in the future."

AZ Electronic Materials currently employs 95 people in Taiwan, and it is expected that after the expansion it will employ a total of 124 people.

AZ Electronic Materials is the only major photoresist supplier to the FPD market that manufactures in Taiwan. AZ also has production plants in Japan, China and Korea in Asia, as well as Germany and the US. AZ Electronic Materials places its customer service and quality of product as its highest priority, and as a result locates its production plants close to its customers.

AZ Electronic Materials
AZ Electronic Materials is an independent specialty chemicals business with plants in Taiwan, Korea, China, Japan, France, Germany and the US, and provides specialty chemicals for the flat panel displays, integrated circuits and devices, and photolithographic printing industries. The international business is headquartered is in Luxembourg, and is owned by the global private equity firm The Carlyle Group and AZ Electronic Materials management.