The plan to build new equipment follows the expansion of the production facilities at the beginning of the 2024 fiscal year. Production capacity will increase by a further 30% compared to the current level, Ube said.

According to Ube, the market for high-purity nitric acid, which is used for semiconductor cleaning and in the etching process, has been experiencing continuous growth in recent years. Since the start of production in 1986, Ube has gradually increased its production capacity in response to the expansion of the semiconductor market in Japan and abroad and has maintained a high market share in the country.

Ube has decided to increase production capacity because demand is expected to expand in the semiconductor market toward the realization of an advanced information and communication technology (ICT) society, including generative AI, data centers, and mobility.