Osaka Titanium Technologies Suspends Poly Si Plant for Months

Osaka Titanium Technologies announced on Friday the firm temporarily suspends facilities for polycrystalline silicon in Amagasaki plant, Hyogo, Japan. The firm received an administrative disposition to stop operation of the facilities from Hyogo Prefecture on Friday because some facilities to use trichlorosilane conflict with Japan’s High Pressure Gas Safety Act. The suspension is likely to continue for several months.

Osaka Titanium Technologies produces polycrystalline silicone for semiconductors at approximately 1,500 tonnes per year in Amagasaki plant. The illegal facilities have been used since the plant’s start in 1984, regarded as high pressure vessels in accordance with Japan’s national act for industrial safety. However, this time, the facilities turned out to conflict with another law, High Pressure Gas Safety Act.

On April 28, Mitsubishi Materials announced the firm suspended Yokkaichi plant’s operation due to the conflict with the same law. Osaka Titanium Technologies informed Hyogo Prefecture’s administration on April 30 the firm operates same-type facilities and received an administrative disposition on May 7. The total suspension will be around May 21.

The facilities will be checked and altered during the suspension. The firm estimates the suspension will continue for several months at least though concrete plans and schedules of the conversion are unforeseeable at present.

The firm also indicated Kishiwada works’ first polycrystalline silicon shipment may be delayed because the firm needs to alter some of introduced facilities. Kishiwada works’ new polycrystalline silicon factory is under construction and scheduled to start production in spring 2011 at approximately 2,200 tonnes per year.