Nippon Mining & Metals to Expand New Rolled Cu Foil Output

Nippon Mining & Metals expands output capacity of rolled copper foil with fine nodule treatment, BHYA by 20% to meet higher demand for flexible printed circuit of hinge of cell phone and chip on film packaging of liquid crystal driving integrated circuit. The firm constructs new plant building next to existing Shirogane plant in Ibaraki for around 4 billion yen expanding the output from current 6 million square meters per month to 7.2 million square meters in second half of fiscal 2007 ending March 2008. The firm eyes additional expansion to 8.4 million square meters depending on the demand. The firm has more than 75% of world rolled copper foil market share. The firm produces materials foil at Kurami plant in Kanagawa and processes surface treatment at Shirogane plant. The firm starts mass production of BHYA foil in July and plans to sell monthly 5 million square meters for total rolled copper foil in second half of fiscal 2006. The firm tries to increase the BHYA foil rate for total rolled copper foil products to 20% in the period. BHYA has superior etching property enough to 20-30 micrometers of circuit pitch. With the property, the firm markets the products for flexible printed circuit of hinge of cell phone and digital camera, for chip on film and for high frequency substrate of cell phone stations. The firm targets applications with high speed, high capacity and high frequency when current BHY foil cannot meet the performance. The firm markets BHYA foil with 18 and 12 micrometers of thick mainly while the firm can produce 9 micrometers and more than 18 micrometers depending on the demand.