Disco completes construction of new Zone C in Kuwabata Plant’s A-Building

Tokyo-based equipment maker DISCO Corp - which makes semiconductor manufacturing equipment including chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) systems and laser-based ingot slicing equipment and processes for silicon carbide (SiC) – says that, at the end of January, construction was completed on a new building (Zone C, A-Building) with a seismically isolated structure at its Kuwabata Plant in Kure City, Hiroshima, where precision processing equipment (for cutting, grinding and polishing wafers, etc) and tools (consumables) are manufactured. As a result, the floor space in the existing building (Zones A and B, A-Building) has been expanded (by about 65,900m2 from 128,500m2), and production space will be increased by about 1.5 times. Construction began in February 2017 and, after investing a total of JPY13.8bn in the expansion, operation will begin in February.

Picture: The Kuwabata Plant’s A-Building, showing Zone C on the left.

Semiconductor and electronic component markets are expected to continue expanding in the future based on the development of the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), self-driving technologies, and the installation of multiple cameras in smartphones. DISCO expects demand for its precision processing equipment and tools to increase accordingly.

DISCO has two production sites in Kure City, Hiroshima: Kuwabata Plant (mainly precision processing equipment) and Kure Plant (mainly precision processing tools). By allocating part of the production space in Kuwabata Plant’s Zone B (for which construction was completed in January 2015) to precision processing tools, a second production site was established to improve BCM (business continuity management) support. Moreover, by making the newly completed Zone C in Kuwabata Plant’s A-Building a production space for precision processing tools, DISCO says it will further enhance the production system and BCM support, as well as making production more effective through the promotion of automation.

Disco adds that following the completion of Zone C, in order to respond to expected future increases in demand, between September 2019 and August 2021 JPY14bn will be invested in Kuwabata Plant’s A-Building to construct Zone D, comprising a seismically isolated structure with floor space of about 67,400m2.

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DISCO completes construction of new Kyushu building

Tags: SiC

Visit: www.disco.co.jp