Asia accounts for 80% of semiconductor production capacity, with South Korea and Taiwan being major countries producing semiconductors. Merck considers Asia, including South Korea, as a hub for semiconductor research and development and key manufacturing.
Anand Nambiar, vice president and chief commerce officer of Merck, said during a press briefing held in Gangnam, Seoul, on the 20th. Merck, which has a history of over 357 years, is involved in supplying semiconductor and display materials, as well as specialty gases and thin film businesses for semiconductor manufacturing. During the briefing, solutions for the semiconductor and display industries handled by the electronics business were introduced.
Nambiar noted, "It is difficult to succeed in the projects Merck is undertaking without close cooperation with our clients," and added, "Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are important partners for Merck, and we are collaborating closely with them."
Earlier, Merck announced a large-scale investment project in 2021 that included plans to invest 600 million euros (approximately 860 billion won) in South Korea by 2025. As of last year, 300 million euros have been used, and an additional 300 million euros are being invested in expanding production facilities. Nambiar stated, "If we think about future investments, there is a significant demand in the AI field, but there is uncertainty in non-AI fields," adding, "We will decide based on the conditions of each market."
In the second half of last year, Merck opened a "spin-on dielectric application center" in Ansung and invested in a new product line for the voice business. SOD is an insulator placed between the metal wiring of semiconductors. It is used in next-generation AI memory and advanced logic semiconductors. This facility is Merck's second SOD application center established in Asia to meet the high demand in the region. This year, investments in facilities to strengthen production capacity in thin film materials and specialty gases are planned.
Merck introduced AI-based material solutions and its digitalization capabilities. Specifically, it explained that through its Materials Intelligence platform, which it provides to clients, new material solutions are being developed for the manufacturing of gate-all-around (GAA), high-density memory, and high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which are essential for process miniaturization.
Nambiar stated, "Materials specialized for semiconductor production processes aimed at driving AI are essential," adding, "To operate AI, powerful yet small and energy-efficient semiconductors are needed, and in this regard, material solutions play a crucial role in addressing the physical and economic challenges faced by semiconductor manufacturers."
Kim Wookyu, CEO of Merck Korea, stated, "The technology trends demanded by clients, such as HBM and 3D NAND flash, are becoming more miniaturized and advanced," and added, "To keep pace with this, Merck is also preparing for research and development of new materials and providing solutions."
Meanwhile, Merck completed the acquisition of UnitySC, a semiconductor measurement and defect inspection equipment company based in France, at the end of October last year. Nambiar stated, "UnitySC is a company with significant capabilities in defect measurement, among other areas," and said, "Since both hybrid bonding and HBM are fields where measurement is crucial, we will actively support global semiconductor corporations."