Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium) has announced its plans to invest in a new facility to produce electronic grade hydrogen peroxide (eH2O2) in Casa Grande, Arizona, to supply the growing U.S. semiconductor manufacturing market. The facility will convert hydrogen peroxide into an ultra-high purity grade to clean silicon wafers that are needed to manufacture semiconductors, essential components of electronic devices.
The new facility will be Solvay’s seventh eH2O2 unit. With a strong H2O2 presence in the area, Solvay materials provide the highest quality product for the latest semiconductor fabrication needs.
“This investment will grow our presence in the North American semiconductor market”, says Ilham Kadri, CEO of Solvay. “The new facility will help us to further tap into increasing demand from the domestic electronic industry, and our local customers will likewise gain even better access to our products and services. This will help us meet their increasing demand for chemicals that are essential for cleaning and etching large scale integrated circuits and semiconductors.”
“Pinal County is pleased to welcome Solvay and its significant investment and well-paying jobs to our region,” said Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Jeffrey McClure. “The company’s future operations will support Arizona’s expanding semiconductor industry and the future demand for their products. We are happy to be partnering with the company to help prepare our workforce for these jobs, and we wish them great success going forward.”
“Solvay’s sustainable chemical manufacturing facility is a valued addition to Arizona’s semiconductor industry,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “The new facility will manufacture critical components for chip production while bolstering Arizona’s semiconductor supply chain even further. We’re grateful for Solvay’s commitment to Arizona and look forward to supporting their future success in Casa Grande.”
Solvay purchased 25 acres of greenfield land within Casa Grande’s Central Arizona Commerce Park and construction of the first production line is scheduled to begin in 2023 with future expansions to be built as needed to support customer demand. The facility will create 30 full-time positions and Solvay expects to invest more than $3 million per year on wages, maintenance and upgrades, employee training, taxes and other expenditures that benefit local businesses and the community.
Solvay’s new facility will be fully powered using renewable electricity, in line with the company’s Solvay One Planet sustainability roadmap. Production equipment will be housed within an enclosed climate-controlled building using safe and proven technology already in use at other Solvay locations worldwide – including its site near Houston, Texas.