Nippon Mining & Metals Plans to Open ITO Plant in China

Nippon Mining & Metals examines establishment of a new plant in China to manufacture transparent electrode materials used for liquid crystal panels. South Korean and Taiwanese panel makers plan to enter Chinese market where demand for flat panel televisions is expanding. Japanese major electric appliance makers also decided to start local panel production in China. Nippon Mining & Metals supposed a local material supply site is necessary. The firm eyes the plan establishment within 2 years with several hundred million yen investment.

Nippon Mining & Metals is the world largest supplier of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) sputtering targets which is used as a material for transparent electrode of liquid crystal panels. The firm established an integrated productive system from raw material to finished product in Isohara plant, Ibaraki, Japan. The firm also operates plants in Taiwan and South Korea to bond ITO sputtering targets with backing plates.

In China, the firm plans to launch the bonding process at several tonnes per month as the first phase. If the demand grows steadily, the firm may commence integrated production of ITO sputtering targets in the country. Nippon Mining & Metals already operates electronic material plants in Suzhou and Dongguan. Utilization of these plants is one of choices.