Showa Denko K.K. recently announced that it has established Chengdu Kemeite Showa Electronic Materials (CKSEM) in Chengdu, China, jointly with Chengdu Kemeite Special Gas(KMT) of China, aiming to strengthen SDK’s business to produce and sell high-purity gases for electronics.

The new company will start its operation in January 2021, and it will mainly be in charge of the implementation of final process in the manufacturing process of high-purity tetrafluoromethane (CF₄).

CF4 is the primary and basic etching gas for electronics. The demand for CF4 is expected to increase steadily.

SDK’s CF₄ business will have a system to produce CF4 with two production bases, namely, production facilities in SDK’s Kawasaki plant which is in operation and those in the new company.