Asahi Kasei has built a new slitting facility for its SUNFORT dry film photoresist (DFR) at its manufacturing site in Tainan, Taiwan, with commercial operations set to begin this month.

 

The company has been slitting SUNFORT DFR at the Tainan site since 1997, but says surging demand for advanced semiconductor packaging—driven by artificial intelligence and rising data processing needs—has made a major capacity upgrade necessary.

 

DFR used in semiconductor packaging now faces increasingly strict requirements for both quality and supply reliability. Taiwan, a global hub for semiconductor packaging companies, is viewed as a critical location for ensuring fast, localized delivery to customers.

 

Slitting—the precision process of cutting master film rolls into narrower widths tailored to customer specifications—is described as a key step that directly affects product quality and supply stability.

 

The new facility is equipped with advanced machinery and high-grade cleanroom standards designed to boost productivity and ensure consistent output. The investment totals approximately ¥2 billion (about $12 million / €11 million) and will increase capacity by 40%, with potential to double output over time.

 

SUNFORT DFR enables ultra-high resolution patterning using both conventional stepper exposure systems and laser direct imaging (LDI), supporting finer circuit designs in semiconductor back-end packaging processes.

 

The expansion aligns with Asahi Kasei’s broader strategy to position its electronics business as a core growth engine. In May 2025, the company also introduced SUNFORT TA, a next-generation DFR series designed for advanced AI server packaging.