OCI(456040) said on the 22nd that, on a consolidation basis, operating profit in the second quarter this year came to 43.3 billion won, turning to a profit from a year earlier when it posted an operating loss of 2.3 billion won, according to preliminary figures.
Sales were 535 billion won, up 1.5% from a year earlier. Net profit returned to the black at 29.8 billion won.
An OCI official said, "Second-quarter results improved as sales volume and prices of petrochemical products increased on stronger customer demand and performance in the semiconductor materials business improved."
The basic chemicals institutional sector, which includes semiconductor materials, recorded sales of 209.5 billion won and operating profit of 18.1 billion won as profitability improved on price increases for some items.
The carbon chemicals institutional sector posted sales of 331.5 billion won and operating profit of 31 billion won as the spread (price difference between product and materials and supplies) of benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) products widened on firm oil prices.
OCI plans to continue investing in new semiconductor materials businesses. Vice Chairman Kim Yu-shin of OCI said, "We will upgrade our business portfolio by expanding investment in high value-added advanced materials such as the wafer regeneration business for semiconductor packaging and conductive carbon black, and further strengthen our growth base in step with the growth of AI and the semiconductor industry."