Doosan Group will acquire SK Siltron, a semiconductor wafer maker, from SK Group. Business circles say Doosan has secured a new growth foothold by reshaping its portfolio so that semiconductors join energy and machinery as core pillars.
Doosan Group said on the 17th that through Doosan Corp., it was selected as the preferred bidder to acquire management control of SK Siltron from SK Group. The equity subject to acquisition is the 70.6% stake in SK Siltron held by SK Inc. The 29.4% stake held by SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won was excluded from this deal.
SK Siltron is the only company in Korea that produces semiconductor wafers. By 12-inch wafer standard, it holds the third-highest global market share. Given that the investment banking industry values SK Siltron at more than 5 trillion won, Doosan's acquisition is estimated at 3 trillion to 4 trillion won.
Doosan has expanded investment in semiconductors in recent years. In 2022, it acquired Tesna (now DOOSAN TESNA), the No. 1 domestic company in semiconductor back-end testing. Through this SK Siltron acquisition, Doosan is expected to rise as a key equipment-and-materials company covering both front-end and back-end semiconductor businesses.
Going forward, Doosan's semiconductor business is expected to take shape as a "three-way structure" among DOOSAN TESNA, Doosan Corp.'s Electronics BG (electronics business) division, and SK Siltron. DOOSAN TESNA handles non-memory semiconductor testing, the Doosan Corp. Electronics BG division produces copper-clad laminates (CCL) for semiconductor substrates, and SK Siltron supplies custom wafers.
Business circles say Doosan, which started as a distribution and consumer-goods company and restructured around machinery and energy, has also strengthened its competitiveness in advanced materials.
Since the 2000s, Doosan has sold off its liquor businesses including OB Beer, as well as food-service operations such as Coca-Cola and Burger King, and moved to reshape its portfolio around machinery and heavy industry. In 2007, it also acquired Bobcat (now Doosan Bobcat), a U.S. construction equipment company.
After undergoing harsh restructuring amid the global downturn in the 2010s, it continued to reshape its business. Doosan's core businesses now consist of three pillars: machinery centered on Doosan Bobcat and Doosan Robotics; energy led by Doosan Enerbility and Doosan Fuel Cell; and semiconductors and advanced materials centered on DOOSAN TESNA.
A business community official said, "Through this SK Siltron acquisition, Doosan has a strong chance of securing high competitiveness in semiconductors and advanced materials, which had been considered weaker than machinery and energy."