KOREA-JAPAN INDUSTRIAL TITANS BREAK GROUND ON RM2 BILLION SEMICONDUCTOR-GRADE POLYSILICON PLANT IN SARAWAK, MALAYSIA.

OCI Tokuyama Semiconductor Materials Sdn Bhd (OTSM), a 50:50 joint venture between OCI TerraSus (formerly OCIM and a wholly owned subsidiary of South Korea’s OCI Holdings) and Japan’s Tokuyama Corporation, is investing RM2 billion in a manufacturing plant to produce high-purity semiconductor-grade polysilicon in Samalaju Industrial Park, Bintulu.

The plant will have an annual production capacity of 8,000 tonnes of semiconductor-grade polysilicon—a critical raw material used in the manufacture of chips that power AI technologies, from data centres and smartphones to electric vehicles and smart factories.This project aligns with Malaysia’s New Industrial Master Plan, which emphasizes backward integration in the semiconductor production value chain.

It important to note that only a small number of companies globally are capable of producing high-purity, semiconductor-grade polysilicon (also known as electronic-grade polysilicon). This is a niche and highly specialised segment of the polysilicon industry, distinct from solar-grade polysilicon, which has lower purity requirements. Global demand for semiconductor-grade polysilicon currently stands at only 50,000 metric tonnes annually. This means OTSM’s output will account for close to one-sixth of global supply, making it a key player in the semiconductor industry.

This project positions Malaysia as a significant player—and potentially a global leader—in the production of the critical raw material required for wafer fabrication in the semiconductor industry.

Further details are available at the following link: OTSM's new polysilicon plant in Sarawak to set global standards | Borneo Post Online