Asahi Kasei adds slitting facility for SUNFORT DFR in Tainan
- Investment of approximately ¥2 billion (about $12 million / €11 million) in the new slitting facility.
- Facility expands slitting capacity by 40% with potential to double current output.
- Construction at the Tainan site was completed on July 3 and commercial operations are scheduled to commence this month.
- Asahi Kasei has slit SUNFORT DFR at the Tainan site since 1997 and launched SUNFORT TA in May 2025.
Facility and capacity
Asahi Kasei constructed a new slitting facility for SUNFORT™ dry film photoresist (DFR) at its Tainan manufacturing site, completing construction on July 3. The plant is equipped with state-of-the-art slitting machines and operates to rigorous cleanroom standards. The investment is approximately ¥2 billion (about $12 million / €11 million) and will increase slitting capacity by 40%, with the potential to double current output. Commercial operations are scheduled to commence this month.
Product and application
SUNFORT™ DFR provides ultra-high resolution using conventional stepper exposure systems and laser direct imaging (LDI) systems to transfer circuit patterns onto substrates for semiconductor packaging. Asahi Kasei also launched SUNFORT™ TA, a DFR series tailored for advanced semiconductor packaging used in AI servers, in May 2025.
Rationale
Demand for advanced semiconductor packaging has risen sharply due to AI-driven increases in data processing, requiring higher standards for DFR quality and supply reliability. Taiwan’s concentration of semiconductor packaging-related companies makes a local, rapid, and reliable supply system strategically important. Slitting—cutting master rolls to customer widths—is a critical process that directly affects product quality and supply reliability.
Source: Asahi Kasei
