Asia / Pacific

01/01/1999

Asia/Pacific

Johnson Matthey Electronics (JME) has opened a new sputtering target and thermocouple manufacturing plant in Taiwan`s Science Based Industrial Park. Don Miller, president of JME`s Wafer Fabrication Materials Group said his firm hopes the facility will permit more joint development work with Taiwan-based customers in both sputtering products and thermocouples, though the firm`s primary research operations will remain in Spokane, WA.

Ashland Chemical, Dublin, OH, has established a new subsidiary in Korea responsible for local manufacturing and sales of photoresist strippers and other post-etch residue removal technologies. The new operation, Ashland-ACT Korea Ltd. (AAKL), is purchasing land and existing buildings in the Songtan Industrial Complex in Pyongtaek City. Operations are expected to begin there in July 1999.

Shanghai Hua Hong Microelectronics` new wafer fab in Shanghai is scheduled to begin production next month. Using process technology from partner NEC Corp., the fab will start work at 0.35-?m design rules on 200-mm wafers, and will reportedly become the most advanced chipmaking facility in China.