Nihon Seiko to Expand 99.999% Pure Antimony Output

Japanese largest antimony trioxide maker, Nihon Seiko expands the output of 99.999% purity product in fiscal 2008 starting April 2008. The firm builds new plant building at Nakase plant to produce monthly several hundreds of kilogram for semiconductor memory. The firm eyes further expansion to meet growing demand. Nakase plant produces high purity antimony with 99.99% purity at the facility with monthly 2 tonnes of output capacity. The plant produces around 1 tonne per month due to lower demand when rewritable optical disk market shrinks due to shift to write once read many optical disc (WORM). The firm increases the output of higher purity product with 99.999% purity for semiconductor memory after the firm establishes mass production system in fiscal 2008. The firm continues production of 99.99% purity products. The firm tries to expand the lineup through new products development under the mid-year plan through fiscal 2009. The firm launches higher valued products to improve the profitability when the main product of antimony trioxide market experiences major price drop due to higher supply from China.