Taiwan semiconductor supply chain expands into Pingtung as Hwa-Mei plans PPT-level lab

Hwa-Mei Technology, a leading Taiwanese manufacturer of advanced process environmental control systems for the semiconductor industry, announced its expansion into the Pingtung Science Park. The company will establish a "PPT (parts per trillion)" level air quality verification laboratory, a significant step to meet the stringent demands of next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.

This strategic move by Hwa-Mei follows TSMC's recent decision to establish operations in the same park. The company's investment is expected to catalyze further growth within the semiconductor supply chain in Pingtung. Hwa-Mei's chairman, Cheng Shih-chih, participated in the groundbreaking ceremony alongside TSMC's CEO, C.C. Wei, highlighting the collaborative momentum.

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The competition in the semiconductor industry is no longer just a race of process technology and equipment capabilities, but also a competition of process environment quality and yield management capabilities.

Hwa-Mei plans to acquire approximately 3,000 ping (about 9,900 square meters) of land to build a new facility. This advanced base will integrate research and development, production, verification, and technical services, incorporating smart manufacturing and green production models. The company specializes in volatile organic compound (VOCs) equipment and air molecular contaminant (AMC) control technologies.

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The AMC control standards for processes below 2 nanometers will gradually increase from the current PPB (parts per billion) level to the PPT (parts per trillion) level.

Cheng emphasized that competition in the semiconductor industry increasingly hinges on process environment quality and yield management. As advanced processes continue to shrink, AMC's impact on chip yield becomes more critical. Hwa-Mei's new laboratory will be one of the few in Taiwan capable of such high-level testing, supporting the industry's transition from PPB (parts per billion) to PPT control standards for processes below 2 nanometers.

The Pingtung Science Park is projected to create about 5,400 jobs and generate an annual output value of NT$360 billion (approximately $11 billion USD). Hwa-Mei views the park not only as a site for capacity expansion but also as a springboard into the international market, aiming to deepen collaborations with global semiconductor firms, equipment suppliers, and research institutions.

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Pingtung Science Park is not only an important base for Hwa-Mei Technology's capacity expansion but also a new starting point for entering the international market.