UBE Corporation has decided to increase production capacity of high-purity nitric acid at the Ube Chemical Factory (Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture) in order to meet a further increase in demand in the future.

The new equipment construction plan comes after the expansion of the manufacturing equipment in early FY2024. The production capacity will increase further by about 30% compared to the current level.

In recent years, the market for high-purity nitric acid, which is used for semiconductor cleaning and in the etching process, has been experiencing continuous growth. 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 Japan. UBE has decided to increase production capacity because demand is expected to expand in the semiconductor market toward realization of an advanced ICT society, including generative AI, data centers, and mobility.

UBE manufactures stable and high-purity nitric acid indispensable for semiconductor manufacturing by leveraging its proprietary high-purity technologies and quality control capabilities. UBE's high-purity products are used in semiconductor manufacturing processes in and outside Japan. UBE will continue to increase its capacity in a timely manner in response to growing demand for high-purity chemicals in line with digitalization of society, and it will promote expansion of its specialty business, including high-purity ammonia water.