LOTTE Chemical Group: Hantok Chemicals breaks ground on Pyeongtaek TMAH plant
- KRW 130 billion invested to build a TMAH plant on a 32,216 m² site in Poseung (Pyeongtaek).
- The facility will produce semiconductor-grade tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), a photolithography developer.
- The Pyeongtaek site becomes a second production base alongside Ulsan to strengthen supply stability and logistics responsiveness.
- Hantok was founded in 1995 as a 50:50 JV between LOTTE Fine Chemical and Tokuyama; since 2020 ownership is split between LOTTE Chemical and Tokuyama.
Project
Hantok Chemicals held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) production plant in the Poseung (BIX) District of Pyeongtaek. The company will invest KRW 130 billion to expand semiconductor-grade TMAH production on a 32,216㎡ site, with production lines expanded in phases to align with customers' capacity schedules.
Strategic rationale
The Pyeongtaek plant adds a second production base to Hantok's Ulsan facility to improve supply-chain stability, logistics efficiency and responsiveness as Korea's semiconductor clusters expand. TMAH is used as a developer in photolithography to form fine circuit patterns in semiconductor and display manufacturing.
Company and market context
Hantok Chemicals was established in 1995 as a 50:50 joint venture between LOTTE Fine Chemical and Tokuyama Corporation; since 2020 ownership has been equally shared by LOTTE Chemical and Tokuyama. High-purity semiconductor-grade TMAH is currently produced only in Korea, Taiwan, Japan and the United States, and Hantok has been designated a National Strategic Technology Commercialization Facility.
Stakeholders
About 70 guests attended the ceremony, including senior executives from LOTTE Group and Tokuyama, local government officials and partner companies. Company leaders described the investment as a strategic move to proactively address future demand and strengthen the resilience of the supply chain supporting Korea's semiconductor clusters.
Source: LOTTE Chemical
