Feb 27, 2014
Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.
Meltex Inc.

Hitachi Chemical and Meltex Conclude a Cooperative Contract regarding Sales of Products such as Surface Treatment Chemicals

Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Hitachi Chemical") and Meltex Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "Meltex") have concluded a cooperative contract for Meltex to exclusively sell electroless plating chemicals*1 for printed wiring boards and surface treatment agents*2 manufactured by Hitachi Chemical within Japan (excluding existing customers of Hitachi Chemical).

In recent years, with the increase in demand for electronic devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs, growth is anticipated in the worldwide market for printed wiring boards including semiconductor package substrates, with mean growth of 3.2%*3 expected. Challenges in semiconductor package substrates and printed wiring boards used in smartphones and tablet PCs include "fine line patterning technology," "curve/dimensional stability" and "high reliability." In particular, demand is growing annually for materials such as plating chemicals and surface preparation agents that facilitate fine line patterning technology and high reliability.

The contract was concluded with the aim of expanding business for wiring board process materials at Hitachi Chemical and Meltex. It will enable Meltex to exclusively sell electroless plating chemicals for printed wiring boards and surface treatment agents produced by Hitachi Chemical within Japan, excluding some customers. It will also allow Meltex to sell electroless plating chemicals and surface preparation agents produced by Hitachi Chemical in countries worldwide.

Hitachi Chemical is involved in the manufacture and sales of highly reliable electroless plating chemicals which are essential for printed wiring boards and semiconductor package substrates, and surface treatment agents, in addition to wiring board materials such as copper-clad laminated sheets and photosensitive dry films. The contract aims to utilize the wide sales networks of Meltex in areas including Japan, mainland China, Taiwan region, Hong Kong and South East Asia to increase sales for Hitachi Chemical's plating chemicals and surface preparation agents.

For Meltex, the contract will add Hitachi Chemical's products to its lineup, which includes printed wiring boards, plating chemicals for semiconductor package substrates and surface treatment agents already being manufactured and sold, thereby optimizing peripheral materials and each process product, strengthening high added value total process and the system for providing service in order to increase sales focusing on high-density printed wiring board markets overseas.

In addition to the cooperative sales under the contract, there are plans to extend cooperation between the two companies for high density ultra fine wiring board manufacturing technology. This technology is expected to experience increased demand in the future with an eye to collaborative development of new products leveraging manufacturing expertise and development technology cultivated by both companies.


*1. Electroless plating chemicals: Plating chemicals used in the foundation for copper electroplating that forms circuits for printed wiring boards etc.
*2. Surface treatment agents: Chemicals for roughening metal surfaces of printed wiring boards etc. to improve adhesion with insulating materials and reliability.
*3. Cited from: Prismark's Semiconductor and Packaging Report Annual Mean Growth Rate for 2012 through 2017

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