Sumitomo Bakelite is expanding production capacity for advanced semiconductor packaging materials in China and Singapore as demand surges on the back of generative AI and next-generation communications technologies.

 

The Tokyo-headquartered company will install new production lines at its Suzhou, China, and Singapore facilities to manufacture SUMIKON EME mold underfill (MUF) materials and compression-molding granules.

 

The investment comes as demand for advanced semiconductors used in applications such as generative AI and communications satellites accelerates, particularly in China and Southeast Asia. At the same time, semiconductor packages are becoming denser, thinner and larger, raising the performance demands on encapsulation materials.

 

Sumitomo Bakelite’s MUF materials are designed to fill microscopic gaps while minimizing warpage. By filling solder joints and encapsulating an entire semiconductor package in a single molding process, the materials combine high reliability with manufacturing efficiency.

 

Its compression-molding granules are engineered to deliver uniform filling in narrow gaps. By optimizing filler size, resin viscosity and particle-size distribution, the materials enable uniform molding with low warpage, even across large panels — a capability that can improve productivity in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

 

The capacity expansion is aimed at leveraging these technologies to meet rising customer demand while strengthening the company’s ability to deliver advanced semiconductor packaging materials reliably and on time.