BASF’s Jiaxing site
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) started operations at a new electronic-grade sulfuric acid (H2SO4) plant in Jiaxing, China, to serve the country’s growing semiconductor manufacturing industry. Driven by strong demand from customers, the plant has simultaneously started its expansion phase to double the production capacity before the completion of the facility. The expansion phase is expected to be operational by the end of the year.
“The new electronic-grade sulfuric acid plant in China is another step forward in our continued growth and expansion in China’s electronics market,” said Boris Jenniches, Vice President of Business Management at BASF Electronic Materials Asia Pacific. “China has already become one of the largest semiconductor markets in the world and is continuing to grow. We are excited to be a part of this momentum and will remain committed to getting closer to our customers and providing them with fast-track ramp-up of chemical solutions, reliable supply, and consistent quality.”
Located at the seaport town of Zhapu, Zhejiang Province, southwest of Shanghai, the new plant is equipped with the latest technology to produce the highest-quality sulfuric acid. This will primarily be used during hundreds of cleaning cycles that semiconductor wafers go through in the making of microchips designed in single-digit nodes measuring less than 10 nanometers. It houses advanced quality analysis equipment, and an analytics lab with a dedicated cleanroom, to accommodate the future needs of electronics customers in China.
The performance level of the sulfuric acid produced at BASF facility in Jiaxing exceeds the standard requirements for today’s fastest, highest-performing semiconductors.