ULVAC Launches ITO Target Operation in Suzhou

Kanagawa based flat panel display making equipment maker, ULVAC launches indium tin oxide target production on China. The firm established the group company, ULVAC Materials (Suzhou) with monthly 3 tonnes of production capacity launching the sales in January 2011 in China. The firm eyes expansion to 20 tonnes in order to meet growing demand from Chinese transplants of flat panel display makers.

ULVAC Materials (Suzhou) started the operation of the first phase with around 12,500 square meters of land out of the total 35,000 square meters. The firm starts the sales of the products from the new plant with process from sputtering target making to bonding on copper plate.

Flat panel display making operations expand the field from traditional South Korea and Taiwan to China. Ten or more new line projects are planned in China to make large thin film transistor liquid crystal panel. The major projects increase ITO demand in China.

ULVAC expects ULVAC Materials (Suzhou) can build the second phase plant with ITO powder making facility in 1 and half years to meet growing demand. The firm eyes monthly 20 tonnes of production capacity in future.

ULVAC tries to reshuffle the domestic sputtering target operations by transferring machining and bonding operations from Tomisato plant, Chiba to Hachinohe, Aomori and Kagoshima plants. The Tomisato plant shifts to research and development base in 3 years.