Sumitomo Chemical announced that it has planned to construct a new production line to increase the manufacturing capacity of high-purity alumina.
The production capacity will be increased from 1,600 tons to 3,200 tons per year. The high-purity alumina is utilized as a raw material to produce sapphire substrates in LEDs.
The 99.99% pure alumina is utilized as fillers for magnetic media and ceramic substrates and parts in semiconductor manufacturing devices and electronic components. It is also used as fillers to increase the thermal conductivity characteristic of composite resins. Currently, the demand for this material has been increasing for use in single-crystal sapphire, which is employed in LED substrates.
The high-purity alumina is also used as coatings in lithium-ion secondary batteries and battery electrodes. It is anticipated that the demand for pure alumina will considerably rise in future, due to market expansion for electric vehicles and hybrid cars.
Sumitomo Chemical’s high-purity alumina is suitable for all manufacturing processes for single-crystal sapphire. In 2010, the company has planned to expand the production capacity from 1,600 tons to 2,000 tons per annum to address the rising demand. However, the demand is anticipated to surpass the projection rate. Hence, Sumitomo Chemical has decided to expand the production capacity to 3,200 tons through the construction of a new facility. Construction will be completed during the Q2 of 2012.
In addition to reinforcement of its production capabilities, Sumitomo Chemical is also strengthening its research and development work to enhance product quality and develop new alumina grades to meet customers’ needs. These initiatives will support the company’s future growth in the high-purity alumina business.