#photoresist technology

[agaselectronicmaterials]

The Impact of Advanced Photoresists on Semiconductor Efficiency

Discover how advanced photoresists enhance semiconductor efficiency with higher resolution, improved sensitivity, and greater process stability. Learn about the benefits for performance, cost savings, and environmental impact. Contact A-Gas Electronic Materials for expert guidance and solutions.

[sramfact]

The global photoresist and photoresist ancillaries market size is estimated to be USD 4.1 billion in 2023 and projected to reach USD 5.3 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 5.1%. Photoresists are light-sensitive materials used to pattern and etch substrates for the production of integrated circuits and electronic devices in the semiconductor and microelectronics industries. When exposed to light, they experience a chemical shift that enables the precise patterning of the underlying substrate. Ancillaries for photoresists are additives and chemicals that are used with photoresists to enhance the lithographic process. In the phases of cleaning, pre-coating, development, stripping, and post-processing, they are essential. This industry, which is fueled by improvements in semiconductor technology and the need for improved process yields, is strongly related to the demand for photoresists.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Engineers develop first deep-UV microLED display chips for maskless photolithography

In a breakthrough set to revolutionize the semiconductor industry, the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed the world's first-of-its-kind deep-ultraviolet (UVC) microLED display array for lithography machines. This enhanced efficiency UVC microLED has showcased the viability of a lowered cost maskless photolithography through the provision of adequate light output power density, enabling exposure of photoresist films in a shorter time. Conducted under the supervision of Prof. Kwok Hoi-Sing, Founding Director of the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Displays and Optoelectronics Technologies at HKUST, the study was a collaborative effort with the Southern University of Science and Technology, and the Suzhou Institute of Nanotechnology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Read more.

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Japan’s economic conditions, except price rise, remained largely in control in 2024. Japan’s core inflation stayed at or above the Central bank’s 2-per cent target for the 28th month in a row, and third consecutive month in July 2024. In the same month, the ‘core’ index, excluding fresh food and energy costs, rose 1.9 per cent after increasing 2.2 per cent in June. However, the government subsidies for electricity and gas, which ended in May before returning back in August, continued to be a concern that reflected in the price increase in July.Japan's 2024 economy faced controlled inflation but rising costs due to fluctuating subsidies. Textile trade showed mixed results; imports rose while textile machinery exports declined. Innovations included recycled BOPP film, advanced busbar covering, biomass-derived LCP, and DuPont's photoresist expansion. JIAM 2024 featured cutting-edge apparel and non-apparel technology. Japanese international trade of textile and clothing, up to August, demonstrated the usual ups and downs, except for exports of textile machinery which continued to show a consistent fall across comparable periods. Trade in May The month of May – second in the fiscal 2025, was particularly good for imports. The clothing and accessories imports increased 16 per cent to ¥258,270 million (~$1,700 million) contributing 2.7 per cent to the country’s total imports of ¥9,497,927 million. The increase in clothing imports during the month was second time in a row, after declining in previous months and the previous fiscal 2024. In addition, an 8.8 per cent y-o-y increase was seen in the textile yarn and fabric imports during the month, amounting to ¥102,626 million that accounted for 1.1 per cent of total imports. On the exports front, textile yarn and fabric increased 11.4 per cent reaching ¥67,648 million. However, exports of textile machinery dropped 32.8 per cent amounting to ¥21,418 million while contributing 0.3 per cent to total exports. Six-month trade On a six-month basis, from January to June, Japan’s imports of clothing and accessories reached ¥1,686,160 million (~$11,019 million). This represented an increase of 6.9 per cent over the imports during the same period last year. The share of this import was 3.1 per cent to total imports. The six-month imports of textile yarn and fabric, however, declined 1.3 per cent y-o-y, totalling to ¥561,889 million that contributed 1 per cent of total imports during the period. Specifically, in June, the imports of clothing and accessories at ¥240,887 million ($1,574 million) was 0.6 per cent more than the imports in June 2023. The imports of textile yarn and fabric decreased 13.5 per cent to ¥7,109 million during the same month. The exports of textile yarn and fabric in six-month period reached ¥403,331 million, registering an increase of 8.9 per cent but ¥128,147 million worth of textile machinery exports dropped 20.3 per cent y-o-y. The outbound shipment of textile yarn and fabric was noted as ¥73,516 million in June 2024, 6.3 per cent higher than the trade in the corresponding month of 2023. Textile machinery exports fell by 26.8 per cent to ¥19,143 million in June 2024. China’s domination The textile and clothing imports continued to increase in July too, marking a 14.9 per cent increase over July 2023. The import amounted to $2.8 billion (~¥428 billion) versus $2.44 billion (~¥373 billion) reflecting a rise in consumer demand and the country’s reliance on imported textiles to meet domestic demand. In this, clothing imports worth $1.9 billion (¥291 billion) increased 12.5 per cent y-o-y, while textile imports including fabrics and yarn increased 18.2 per cent and reached $900 million. The growth was driven by the recovery in consumer spending following the softening of COVID-19 restrictions and resurgence in the retail sector. China remained Japan’s top supplier of textile and clothing with 55 per cent share. The import from China in July stood at $1.54 billion (~¥236 billion), increasing 10 per cent y-o-y. The other major suppliers were Vietnam, Bangladesh and India, all with double-digit growth in their export volumes to Japan. The surge in imports underscored Japan’s growing demand for affordable and diverse fashion options, as well as high-quality textiles used in its various industries. However, it also highlights Japan’s dependence on international markets, making the country vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions. Japan’s exports of textile yarn and fabric in July rose by 8.2 per cent compared to July 2023, reaching ¥72,547 million ($474 million). In contrast, exports of textile machinery continued to fall, 28.1 per cent during the month, amounting to ¥21,282 million ($139 million) and contributing 0.2 per cent to total exports. Trade in August In August, exports of textile yarn and fabric increased 9.2 per cent compared to the same month last year and reached ¥66,353 million (~$434 million); and, exports of textile machinery, amounting to ¥23,262 million (~$152 million), fell 9.5 per cent. The imports of clothing and accessories during the month decreased 8.1 per cent to ¥348,002 million (~$2.27 billion) and constituted 3.8 per cent of total imports (¥9.137 trillion), according to provisional data from Japan’s Ministry of Finance. The imports of textile yarn and fabric decreased 5.7 per cent totalling to ¥91,014 million (1 per cent of total imports). Manufacturing woes in September The manufacturing sector had a troubled third quarter, with fall in production levels and a sustained drop in new orders continuing into September, as per au Jibun Bank Japan manufacturing PMI data. The headline manufacturing PMI in August was 49.8 (neutral 50 being the threshold) which dropped marginally to 49.7 in September, indicating a decline, though a slight one, in overall operating conditions. The output charges rose at the slowest rate since mid-2021. Although average operating expenses remained historically high, the firms chose not to pass the whole of elevated costs on to the clients. Inflationary pressures remained high across Japan’s manufacturing industry pushing the firms to spend higher on labour, logistics and raw materials. However, the rate of inflation had eased from August to reach the lowest for five months. In addition, the level of new orders placed with Japanese manufacturers continued to fall due to economic weaknesses. Nevertheless, this was partially offset by firms opting to complete outstanding orders. This resulted in backlogs of work falling at moderate pace which extended the prevalent sequence of depletion to two years. Adding to the woes of the manufacturing sector, international demand dipped with the new export sales contracting at a solid rate that was the strongest since March. At the same time, the level of input inventories also rose during the month. This was due to reductions over two consecutive months as firms held pre-production inventories to stay prepared for any eventual demand recovery. When manufacturers raised input purchases slightly in September, the vendor performance went down with lengthening of delivery times – a distinct for seven-month period. The rate of job creation remained fractional during the month, also lowest for a consecutive seven-month sequence. Despite all these challenges, the business confidence remained positive in September, based on the expectations of renewed demand and, as its outcome, the mass production of new products that would follow. Firms stayed hopeful for a wider economic recovery. Meanwhile, Japanese companies continued to deliver some notable innovations for the industry. New BOPP film The month of October saw the sample launch of a recycled flexible packaging BOPP (Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene) – a type of plastic film with a wide range of applications in the packaging, labelling, and laminating industries. The film is the result of a joint pilot test, initiated in August 2023, by Toppan Holdings Inc. group company Toppan Inc., RM Tohcello Co., Ltd., and Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. The printed waste generated by Toppan gets collected and taken to Mitsui Chemicals’ Nagoya Works which removes the ink to turn waste into pellets, which are then converted into film by RM Tohcello. The tested film is suited for mass production processes such as printing, laminating and pouch forming. The BOPP film samples were displayed at both the Toppan’s and Mitsui’s booths at Tokyo Pack 2024 event held on October 23-25, 2024. The three companies, which together established a technological and operational framework for the horizontal recycling of flexible packaging film, hope to see it enter the market within FY25 after further development and popularising.      The Japanese Government’s Resource Circulation Strategy for Plastics includes a target of transitioning to reusable or recyclable plastic designs by 2025. Milestones under the strategy for 2030 include the reuse and recycling of 60 per cent of plastic containers and packaging and doubling of recycling of plastic resources. With 2025 as an important starting point towards these milestones, it will be essential for companies engaged in the industry to expand efforts for reuse and recycling on their way to 2030. Advanced busbar covering Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. developed the ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering for the first time in the industry. Typically made of copper or aluminium, the busbar is a conductive metallic strip used for power connection or distribution. Busbars have wide-range of applications not only in switchboards and control panels but also in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles (HEVs). Busbars are protected with tape, tubing or other insulating parts as they are subjected to high currents and voltages, and in case of EVs and HEVs this subjection is even more severe. This calls for the insulations with more advanced properties of electrical insulation and heat resistance. The ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering is a new product that meets these requirements. The key features of new product include dielectric strength of 28 kV/mm, operating temperature range of −40°C to +200°C, bright orange on the outer surface, flexibility retention even after heat shrinking, and availability of ST-TC-1 Type for thermal interface applications, making it suitable for covering a heating part to transfer heat to the casing. Biomass-derived LAPEROS In September, Polyplastics Co., Ltd. – the global leader in engineering plastics, launched the LAPEROS bG-LCP sustainable solution based on biomass-derived materials which reduces CO2 emissions and improves the renewable content ratio. The solution is based on mass balance approach – an accounting principle that matches the inputs, such as plastic waste, with outputs from a recycling or production process to determine the recycled content. The mass balance approach combines raw materials derived from biomass with those derived from fossil resources. When further combined into resin manufacturing processes, a portion of the resulting product can be considered to be biomass-derived, according to the volume of biomass raw material input. Thus, it eliminates the prevalent need of producing biomass-derived and fossil resource-derived products separately. Furthermore, the users have no need to re-evaluate performance and quality for each separate grade. In this way, the approach effectively helps to achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy more quickly. To be commercialised in spring 2025, LAPEROS bG-LCP is manufactured like conventional products and exhibits the same chemical and physical properties. The company plans to expand this new solution to all grades of LAPEROS LCP. DuPont enhanced local capacity  On October 3, 2024, DuPont announced the successful completion of a significant expansion for photoresist manufacturing capacity at the DuPont Sasakami Site in Agano-shi, Niigata, Japan. The celebration event commemorated the opening of a new building named the East Star – a component of DuPont’s growth strategy for its lithography offerings. With this expansion, DuPont nearly doubled its photoresist production capacity at the site. The East Star Building features state-of-the-art cleanrooms with air cleanliness standards ranging from ISO Class 10 to Class 1000 for the production of high-quality photoresists. Additionally, the advanced automation systems have been implemented to reduce contamination risks and maintain a controlled, hygienic environment. JIAM 2024 The 13th edition of the Japan International Apparel & Non-Apparel Manufacturing Technology Trade Show (JIAM) 2024 Osaka took place from November 27 – 30, 2024 at INTEX Osaka, with inclusion of ‘non-apparel’ this time, to showcase the cutting-edge innovations from around the world. The non-apparel sectors had attracted a significant increase in exhibitors from the aerospace, automation and aviation industries, by the time this feature went in print, reflecting the growing demand for advanced textile solutions in these high-tech fields. The visitors were due for opportunity to explore a dynamic range of sewing and cutting machinery, latest textile products, technologies and services that drive industry innovation in critical sectors. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SB - WE) Source link

[norajworld]

Japan’s economic conditions, except price rise, remained largely in control in 2024. Japan’s core inflation stayed at or above the Central bank’s 2-per cent target for the 28th month in a row, and third consecutive month in July 2024. In the same month, the ‘core’ index, excluding fresh food and energy costs, rose 1.9 per cent after increasing 2.2 per cent in June. However, the government subsidies for electricity and gas, which ended in May before returning back in August, continued to be a concern that reflected in the price increase in July.Japan's 2024 economy faced controlled inflation but rising costs due to fluctuating subsidies. Textile trade showed mixed results; imports rose while textile machinery exports declined. Innovations included recycled BOPP film, advanced busbar covering, biomass-derived LCP, and DuPont's photoresist expansion. JIAM 2024 featured cutting-edge apparel and non-apparel technology. Japanese international trade of textile and clothing, up to August, demonstrated the usual ups and downs, except for exports of textile machinery which continued to show a consistent fall across comparable periods. Trade in May The month of May – second in the fiscal 2025, was particularly good for imports. The clothing and accessories imports increased 16 per cent to ¥258,270 million (~$1,700 million) contributing 2.7 per cent to the country’s total imports of ¥9,497,927 million. The increase in clothing imports during the month was second time in a row, after declining in previous months and the previous fiscal 2024. In addition, an 8.8 per cent y-o-y increase was seen in the textile yarn and fabric imports during the month, amounting to ¥102,626 million that accounted for 1.1 per cent of total imports. On the exports front, textile yarn and fabric increased 11.4 per cent reaching ¥67,648 million. However, exports of textile machinery dropped 32.8 per cent amounting to ¥21,418 million while contributing 0.3 per cent to total exports. Six-month trade On a six-month basis, from January to June, Japan’s imports of clothing and accessories reached ¥1,686,160 million (~$11,019 million). This represented an increase of 6.9 per cent over the imports during the same period last year. The share of this import was 3.1 per cent to total imports. The six-month imports of textile yarn and fabric, however, declined 1.3 per cent y-o-y, totalling to ¥561,889 million that contributed 1 per cent of total imports during the period. Specifically, in June, the imports of clothing and accessories at ¥240,887 million ($1,574 million) was 0.6 per cent more than the imports in June 2023. The imports of textile yarn and fabric decreased 13.5 per cent to ¥7,109 million during the same month. The exports of textile yarn and fabric in six-month period reached ¥403,331 million, registering an increase of 8.9 per cent but ¥128,147 million worth of textile machinery exports dropped 20.3 per cent y-o-y. The outbound shipment of textile yarn and fabric was noted as ¥73,516 million in June 2024, 6.3 per cent higher than the trade in the corresponding month of 2023. Textile machinery exports fell by 26.8 per cent to ¥19,143 million in June 2024. China’s domination The textile and clothing imports continued to increase in July too, marking a 14.9 per cent increase over July 2023. The import amounted to $2.8 billion (~¥428 billion) versus $2.44 billion (~¥373 billion) reflecting a rise in consumer demand and the country’s reliance on imported textiles to meet domestic demand. In this, clothing imports worth $1.9 billion (¥291 billion) increased 12.5 per cent y-o-y, while textile imports including fabrics and yarn increased 18.2 per cent and reached $900 million. The growth was driven by the recovery in consumer spending following the softening of COVID-19 restrictions and resurgence in the retail sector. China remained Japan’s top supplier of textile and clothing with 55 per cent share. The import from China in July stood at $1.54 billion (~¥236 billion), increasing 10 per cent y-o-y. The other major suppliers were Vietnam, Bangladesh and India, all with double-digit growth in their export volumes to Japan. The surge in imports underscored Japan’s growing demand for affordable and diverse fashion options, as well as high-quality textiles used in its various industries. However, it also highlights Japan’s dependence on international markets, making the country vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions. Japan’s exports of textile yarn and fabric in July rose by 8.2 per cent compared to July 2023, reaching ¥72,547 million ($474 million). In contrast, exports of textile machinery continued to fall, 28.1 per cent during the month, amounting to ¥21,282 million ($139 million) and contributing 0.2 per cent to total exports. Trade in August In August, exports of textile yarn and fabric increased 9.2 per cent compared to the same month last year and reached ¥66,353 million (~$434 million); and, exports of textile machinery, amounting to ¥23,262 million (~$152 million), fell 9.5 per cent. The imports of clothing and accessories during the month decreased 8.1 per cent to ¥348,002 million (~$2.27 billion) and constituted 3.8 per cent of total imports (¥9.137 trillion), according to provisional data from Japan’s Ministry of Finance. The imports of textile yarn and fabric decreased 5.7 per cent totalling to ¥91,014 million (1 per cent of total imports). Manufacturing woes in September The manufacturing sector had a troubled third quarter, with fall in production levels and a sustained drop in new orders continuing into September, as per au Jibun Bank Japan manufacturing PMI data. The headline manufacturing PMI in August was 49.8 (neutral 50 being the threshold) which dropped marginally to 49.7 in September, indicating a decline, though a slight one, in overall operating conditions. The output charges rose at the slowest rate since mid-2021. Although average operating expenses remained historically high, the firms chose not to pass the whole of elevated costs on to the clients. Inflationary pressures remained high across Japan’s manufacturing industry pushing the firms to spend higher on labour, logistics and raw materials. However, the rate of inflation had eased from August to reach the lowest for five months. In addition, the level of new orders placed with Japanese manufacturers continued to fall due to economic weaknesses. Nevertheless, this was partially offset by firms opting to complete outstanding orders. This resulted in backlogs of work falling at moderate pace which extended the prevalent sequence of depletion to two years. Adding to the woes of the manufacturing sector, international demand dipped with the new export sales contracting at a solid rate that was the strongest since March. At the same time, the level of input inventories also rose during the month. This was due to reductions over two consecutive months as firms held pre-production inventories to stay prepared for any eventual demand recovery. When manufacturers raised input purchases slightly in September, the vendor performance went down with lengthening of delivery times – a distinct for seven-month period. The rate of job creation remained fractional during the month, also lowest for a consecutive seven-month sequence. Despite all these challenges, the business confidence remained positive in September, based on the expectations of renewed demand and, as its outcome, the mass production of new products that would follow. Firms stayed hopeful for a wider economic recovery. Meanwhile, Japanese companies continued to deliver some notable innovations for the industry. New BOPP film The month of October saw the sample launch of a recycled flexible packaging BOPP (Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene) – a type of plastic film with a wide range of applications in the packaging, labelling, and laminating industries. The film is the result of a joint pilot test, initiated in August 2023, by Toppan Holdings Inc. group company Toppan Inc., RM Tohcello Co., Ltd., and Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. The printed waste generated by Toppan gets collected and taken to Mitsui Chemicals’ Nagoya Works which removes the ink to turn waste into pellets, which are then converted into film by RM Tohcello. The tested film is suited for mass production processes such as printing, laminating and pouch forming. The BOPP film samples were displayed at both the Toppan’s and Mitsui’s booths at Tokyo Pack 2024 event held on October 23-25, 2024. The three companies, which together established a technological and operational framework for the horizontal recycling of flexible packaging film, hope to see it enter the market within FY25 after further development and popularising.      The Japanese Government’s Resource Circulation Strategy for Plastics includes a target of transitioning to reusable or recyclable plastic designs by 2025. Milestones under the strategy for 2030 include the reuse and recycling of 60 per cent of plastic containers and packaging and doubling of recycling of plastic resources. With 2025 as an important starting point towards these milestones, it will be essential for companies engaged in the industry to expand efforts for reuse and recycling on their way to 2030. Advanced busbar covering Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. developed the ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering for the first time in the industry. Typically made of copper or aluminium, the busbar is a conductive metallic strip used for power connection or distribution. Busbars have wide-range of applications not only in switchboards and control panels but also in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles (HEVs). Busbars are protected with tape, tubing or other insulating parts as they are subjected to high currents and voltages, and in case of EVs and HEVs this subjection is even more severe. This calls for the insulations with more advanced properties of electrical insulation and heat resistance. The ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering is a new product that meets these requirements. The key features of new product include dielectric strength of 28 kV/mm, operating temperature range of −40°C to +200°C, bright orange on the outer surface, flexibility retention even after heat shrinking, and availability of ST-TC-1 Type for thermal interface applications, making it suitable for covering a heating part to transfer heat to the casing. Biomass-derived LAPEROS In September, Polyplastics Co., Ltd. – the global leader in engineering plastics, launched the LAPEROS bG-LCP sustainable solution based on biomass-derived materials which reduces CO2 emissions and improves the renewable content ratio. The solution is based on mass balance approach – an accounting principle that matches the inputs, such as plastic waste, with outputs from a recycling or production process to determine the recycled content. The mass balance approach combines raw materials derived from biomass with those derived from fossil resources. When further combined into resin manufacturing processes, a portion of the resulting product can be considered to be biomass-derived, according to the volume of biomass raw material input. Thus, it eliminates the prevalent need of producing biomass-derived and fossil resource-derived products separately. Furthermore, the users have no need to re-evaluate performance and quality for each separate grade. In this way, the approach effectively helps to achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy more quickly. To be commercialised in spring 2025, LAPEROS bG-LCP is manufactured like conventional products and exhibits the same chemical and physical properties. The company plans to expand this new solution to all grades of LAPEROS LCP. DuPont enhanced local capacity  On October 3, 2024, DuPont announced the successful completion of a significant expansion for photoresist manufacturing capacity at the DuPont Sasakami Site in Agano-shi, Niigata, Japan. The celebration event commemorated the opening of a new building named the East Star – a component of DuPont’s growth strategy for its lithography offerings. With this expansion, DuPont nearly doubled its photoresist production capacity at the site. The East Star Building features state-of-the-art cleanrooms with air cleanliness standards ranging from ISO Class 10 to Class 1000 for the production of high-quality photoresists. Additionally, the advanced automation systems have been implemented to reduce contamination risks and maintain a controlled, hygienic environment. JIAM 2024 The 13th edition of the Japan International Apparel & Non-Apparel Manufacturing Technology Trade Show (JIAM) 2024 Osaka took place from November 27 – 30, 2024 at INTEX Osaka, with inclusion of ‘non-apparel’ this time, to showcase the cutting-edge innovations from around the world. The non-apparel sectors had attracted a significant increase in exhibitors from the aerospace, automation and aviation industries, by the time this feature went in print, reflecting the growing demand for advanced textile solutions in these high-tech fields. The visitors were due for opportunity to explore a dynamic range of sewing and cutting machinery, latest textile products, technologies and services that drive industry innovation in critical sectors. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SB - WE) Source link

[ellajme0]

Japan’s economic conditions, except price rise, remained largely in control in 2024. Japan’s core inflation stayed at or above the Central bank’s 2-per cent target for the 28th month in a row, and third consecutive month in July 2024. In the same month, the ‘core’ index, excluding fresh food and energy costs, rose 1.9 per cent after increasing 2.2 per cent in June. However, the government subsidies for electricity and gas, which ended in May before returning back in August, continued to be a concern that reflected in the price increase in July.Japan's 2024 economy faced controlled inflation but rising costs due to fluctuating subsidies. Textile trade showed mixed results; imports rose while textile machinery exports declined. Innovations included recycled BOPP film, advanced busbar covering, biomass-derived LCP, and DuPont's photoresist expansion. JIAM 2024 featured cutting-edge apparel and non-apparel technology. Japanese international trade of textile and clothing, up to August, demonstrated the usual ups and downs, except for exports of textile machinery which continued to show a consistent fall across comparable periods. Trade in May The month of May – second in the fiscal 2025, was particularly good for imports. The clothing and accessories imports increased 16 per cent to ¥258,270 million (~$1,700 million) contributing 2.7 per cent to the country’s total imports of ¥9,497,927 million. The increase in clothing imports during the month was second time in a row, after declining in previous months and the previous fiscal 2024. In addition, an 8.8 per cent y-o-y increase was seen in the textile yarn and fabric imports during the month, amounting to ¥102,626 million that accounted for 1.1 per cent of total imports. On the exports front, textile yarn and fabric increased 11.4 per cent reaching ¥67,648 million. However, exports of textile machinery dropped 32.8 per cent amounting to ¥21,418 million while contributing 0.3 per cent to total exports. Six-month trade On a six-month basis, from January to June, Japan’s imports of clothing and accessories reached ¥1,686,160 million (~$11,019 million). This represented an increase of 6.9 per cent over the imports during the same period last year. The share of this import was 3.1 per cent to total imports. The six-month imports of textile yarn and fabric, however, declined 1.3 per cent y-o-y, totalling to ¥561,889 million that contributed 1 per cent of total imports during the period. Specifically, in June, the imports of clothing and accessories at ¥240,887 million ($1,574 million) was 0.6 per cent more than the imports in June 2023. The imports of textile yarn and fabric decreased 13.5 per cent to ¥7,109 million during the same month. The exports of textile yarn and fabric in six-month period reached ¥403,331 million, registering an increase of 8.9 per cent but ¥128,147 million worth of textile machinery exports dropped 20.3 per cent y-o-y. The outbound shipment of textile yarn and fabric was noted as ¥73,516 million in June 2024, 6.3 per cent higher than the trade in the corresponding month of 2023. Textile machinery exports fell by 26.8 per cent to ¥19,143 million in June 2024. China’s domination The textile and clothing imports continued to increase in July too, marking a 14.9 per cent increase over July 2023. The import amounted to $2.8 billion (~¥428 billion) versus $2.44 billion (~¥373 billion) reflecting a rise in consumer demand and the country’s reliance on imported textiles to meet domestic demand. In this, clothing imports worth $1.9 billion (¥291 billion) increased 12.5 per cent y-o-y, while textile imports including fabrics and yarn increased 18.2 per cent and reached $900 million. The growth was driven by the recovery in consumer spending following the softening of COVID-19 restrictions and resurgence in the retail sector. China remained Japan’s top supplier of textile and clothing with 55 per cent share. The import from China in July stood at $1.54 billion (~¥236 billion), increasing 10 per cent y-o-y. The other major suppliers were Vietnam, Bangladesh and India, all with double-digit growth in their export volumes to Japan. The surge in imports underscored Japan’s growing demand for affordable and diverse fashion options, as well as high-quality textiles used in its various industries. However, it also highlights Japan’s dependence on international markets, making the country vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions. Japan’s exports of textile yarn and fabric in July rose by 8.2 per cent compared to July 2023, reaching ¥72,547 million ($474 million). In contrast, exports of textile machinery continued to fall, 28.1 per cent during the month, amounting to ¥21,282 million ($139 million) and contributing 0.2 per cent to total exports. Trade in August In August, exports of textile yarn and fabric increased 9.2 per cent compared to the same month last year and reached ¥66,353 million (~$434 million); and, exports of textile machinery, amounting to ¥23,262 million (~$152 million), fell 9.5 per cent. The imports of clothing and accessories during the month decreased 8.1 per cent to ¥348,002 million (~$2.27 billion) and constituted 3.8 per cent of total imports (¥9.137 trillion), according to provisional data from Japan’s Ministry of Finance. The imports of textile yarn and fabric decreased 5.7 per cent totalling to ¥91,014 million (1 per cent of total imports). Manufacturing woes in September The manufacturing sector had a troubled third quarter, with fall in production levels and a sustained drop in new orders continuing into September, as per au Jibun Bank Japan manufacturing PMI data. The headline manufacturing PMI in August was 49.8 (neutral 50 being the threshold) which dropped marginally to 49.7 in September, indicating a decline, though a slight one, in overall operating conditions. The output charges rose at the slowest rate since mid-2021. Although average operating expenses remained historically high, the firms chose not to pass the whole of elevated costs on to the clients. Inflationary pressures remained high across Japan’s manufacturing industry pushing the firms to spend higher on labour, logistics and raw materials. However, the rate of inflation had eased from August to reach the lowest for five months. In addition, the level of new orders placed with Japanese manufacturers continued to fall due to economic weaknesses. Nevertheless, this was partially offset by firms opting to complete outstanding orders. This resulted in backlogs of work falling at moderate pace which extended the prevalent sequence of depletion to two years. Adding to the woes of the manufacturing sector, international demand dipped with the new export sales contracting at a solid rate that was the strongest since March. At the same time, the level of input inventories also rose during the month. This was due to reductions over two consecutive months as firms held pre-production inventories to stay prepared for any eventual demand recovery. When manufacturers raised input purchases slightly in September, the vendor performance went down with lengthening of delivery times – a distinct for seven-month period. The rate of job creation remained fractional during the month, also lowest for a consecutive seven-month sequence. Despite all these challenges, the business confidence remained positive in September, based on the expectations of renewed demand and, as its outcome, the mass production of new products that would follow. Firms stayed hopeful for a wider economic recovery. Meanwhile, Japanese companies continued to deliver some notable innovations for the industry. New BOPP film The month of October saw the sample launch of a recycled flexible packaging BOPP (Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene) – a type of plastic film with a wide range of applications in the packaging, labelling, and laminating industries. The film is the result of a joint pilot test, initiated in August 2023, by Toppan Holdings Inc. group company Toppan Inc., RM Tohcello Co., Ltd., and Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. The printed waste generated by Toppan gets collected and taken to Mitsui Chemicals’ Nagoya Works which removes the ink to turn waste into pellets, which are then converted into film by RM Tohcello. The tested film is suited for mass production processes such as printing, laminating and pouch forming. The BOPP film samples were displayed at both the Toppan’s and Mitsui’s booths at Tokyo Pack 2024 event held on October 23-25, 2024. The three companies, which together established a technological and operational framework for the horizontal recycling of flexible packaging film, hope to see it enter the market within FY25 after further development and popularising.      The Japanese Government’s Resource Circulation Strategy for Plastics includes a target of transitioning to reusable or recyclable plastic designs by 2025. Milestones under the strategy for 2030 include the reuse and recycling of 60 per cent of plastic containers and packaging and doubling of recycling of plastic resources. With 2025 as an important starting point towards these milestones, it will be essential for companies engaged in the industry to expand efforts for reuse and recycling on their way to 2030. Advanced busbar covering Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. developed the ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering for the first time in the industry. Typically made of copper or aluminium, the busbar is a conductive metallic strip used for power connection or distribution. Busbars have wide-range of applications not only in switchboards and control panels but also in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles (HEVs). Busbars are protected with tape, tubing or other insulating parts as they are subjected to high currents and voltages, and in case of EVs and HEVs this subjection is even more severe. This calls for the insulations with more advanced properties of electrical insulation and heat resistance. The ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering is a new product that meets these requirements. The key features of new product include dielectric strength of 28 kV/mm, operating temperature range of −40°C to +200°C, bright orange on the outer surface, flexibility retention even after heat shrinking, and availability of ST-TC-1 Type for thermal interface applications, making it suitable for covering a heating part to transfer heat to the casing. Biomass-derived LAPEROS In September, Polyplastics Co., Ltd. – the global leader in engineering plastics, launched the LAPEROS bG-LCP sustainable solution based on biomass-derived materials which reduces CO2 emissions and improves the renewable content ratio. The solution is based on mass balance approach – an accounting principle that matches the inputs, such as plastic waste, with outputs from a recycling or production process to determine the recycled content. The mass balance approach combines raw materials derived from biomass with those derived from fossil resources. When further combined into resin manufacturing processes, a portion of the resulting product can be considered to be biomass-derived, according to the volume of biomass raw material input. Thus, it eliminates the prevalent need of producing biomass-derived and fossil resource-derived products separately. Furthermore, the users have no need to re-evaluate performance and quality for each separate grade. In this way, the approach effectively helps to achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy more quickly. To be commercialised in spring 2025, LAPEROS bG-LCP is manufactured like conventional products and exhibits the same chemical and physical properties. The company plans to expand this new solution to all grades of LAPEROS LCP. DuPont enhanced local capacity  On October 3, 2024, DuPont announced the successful completion of a significant expansion for photoresist manufacturing capacity at the DuPont Sasakami Site in Agano-shi, Niigata, Japan. The celebration event commemorated the opening of a new building named the East Star – a component of DuPont’s growth strategy for its lithography offerings. With this expansion, DuPont nearly doubled its photoresist production capacity at the site. The East Star Building features state-of-the-art cleanrooms with air cleanliness standards ranging from ISO Class 10 to Class 1000 for the production of high-quality photoresists. Additionally, the advanced automation systems have been implemented to reduce contamination risks and maintain a controlled, hygienic environment. JIAM 2024 The 13th edition of the Japan International Apparel & Non-Apparel Manufacturing Technology Trade Show (JIAM) 2024 Osaka took place from November 27 – 30, 2024 at INTEX Osaka, with inclusion of ‘non-apparel’ this time, to showcase the cutting-edge innovations from around the world. The non-apparel sectors had attracted a significant increase in exhibitors from the aerospace, automation and aviation industries, by the time this feature went in print, reflecting the growing demand for advanced textile solutions in these high-tech fields. The visitors were due for opportunity to explore a dynamic range of sewing and cutting machinery, latest textile products, technologies and services that drive industry innovation in critical sectors. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SB - WE) Source link

[chilimili212]

Japan’s economic conditions, except price rise, remained largely in control in 2024. Japan’s core inflation stayed at or above the Central bank’s 2-per cent target for the 28th month in a row, and third consecutive month in July 2024. In the same month, the ‘core’ index, excluding fresh food and energy costs, rose 1.9 per cent after increasing 2.2 per cent in June. However, the government subsidies for electricity and gas, which ended in May before returning back in August, continued to be a concern that reflected in the price increase in July.Japan's 2024 economy faced controlled inflation but rising costs due to fluctuating subsidies. Textile trade showed mixed results; imports rose while textile machinery exports declined. Innovations included recycled BOPP film, advanced busbar covering, biomass-derived LCP, and DuPont's photoresist expansion. JIAM 2024 featured cutting-edge apparel and non-apparel technology. Japanese international trade of textile and clothing, up to August, demonstrated the usual ups and downs, except for exports of textile machinery which continued to show a consistent fall across comparable periods. Trade in May The month of May – second in the fiscal 2025, was particularly good for imports. The clothing and accessories imports increased 16 per cent to ¥258,270 million (~$1,700 million) contributing 2.7 per cent to the country’s total imports of ¥9,497,927 million. The increase in clothing imports during the month was second time in a row, after declining in previous months and the previous fiscal 2024. In addition, an 8.8 per cent y-o-y increase was seen in the textile yarn and fabric imports during the month, amounting to ¥102,626 million that accounted for 1.1 per cent of total imports. On the exports front, textile yarn and fabric increased 11.4 per cent reaching ¥67,648 million. However, exports of textile machinery dropped 32.8 per cent amounting to ¥21,418 million while contributing 0.3 per cent to total exports. Six-month trade On a six-month basis, from January to June, Japan’s imports of clothing and accessories reached ¥1,686,160 million (~$11,019 million). This represented an increase of 6.9 per cent over the imports during the same period last year. The share of this import was 3.1 per cent to total imports. The six-month imports of textile yarn and fabric, however, declined 1.3 per cent y-o-y, totalling to ¥561,889 million that contributed 1 per cent of total imports during the period. Specifically, in June, the imports of clothing and accessories at ¥240,887 million ($1,574 million) was 0.6 per cent more than the imports in June 2023. The imports of textile yarn and fabric decreased 13.5 per cent to ¥7,109 million during the same month. The exports of textile yarn and fabric in six-month period reached ¥403,331 million, registering an increase of 8.9 per cent but ¥128,147 million worth of textile machinery exports dropped 20.3 per cent y-o-y. The outbound shipment of textile yarn and fabric was noted as ¥73,516 million in June 2024, 6.3 per cent higher than the trade in the corresponding month of 2023. Textile machinery exports fell by 26.8 per cent to ¥19,143 million in June 2024. China’s domination The textile and clothing imports continued to increase in July too, marking a 14.9 per cent increase over July 2023. The import amounted to $2.8 billion (~¥428 billion) versus $2.44 billion (~¥373 billion) reflecting a rise in consumer demand and the country’s reliance on imported textiles to meet domestic demand. In this, clothing imports worth $1.9 billion (¥291 billion) increased 12.5 per cent y-o-y, while textile imports including fabrics and yarn increased 18.2 per cent and reached $900 million. The growth was driven by the recovery in consumer spending following the softening of COVID-19 restrictions and resurgence in the retail sector. China remained Japan’s top supplier of textile and clothing with 55 per cent share. The import from China in July stood at $1.54 billion (~¥236 billion), increasing 10 per cent y-o-y. The other major suppliers were Vietnam, Bangladesh and India, all with double-digit growth in their export volumes to Japan. The surge in imports underscored Japan’s growing demand for affordable and diverse fashion options, as well as high-quality textiles used in its various industries. However, it also highlights Japan’s dependence on international markets, making the country vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions. Japan’s exports of textile yarn and fabric in July rose by 8.2 per cent compared to July 2023, reaching ¥72,547 million ($474 million). In contrast, exports of textile machinery continued to fall, 28.1 per cent during the month, amounting to ¥21,282 million ($139 million) and contributing 0.2 per cent to total exports. Trade in August In August, exports of textile yarn and fabric increased 9.2 per cent compared to the same month last year and reached ¥66,353 million (~$434 million); and, exports of textile machinery, amounting to ¥23,262 million (~$152 million), fell 9.5 per cent. The imports of clothing and accessories during the month decreased 8.1 per cent to ¥348,002 million (~$2.27 billion) and constituted 3.8 per cent of total imports (¥9.137 trillion), according to provisional data from Japan’s Ministry of Finance. The imports of textile yarn and fabric decreased 5.7 per cent totalling to ¥91,014 million (1 per cent of total imports). Manufacturing woes in September The manufacturing sector had a troubled third quarter, with fall in production levels and a sustained drop in new orders continuing into September, as per au Jibun Bank Japan manufacturing PMI data. The headline manufacturing PMI in August was 49.8 (neutral 50 being the threshold) which dropped marginally to 49.7 in September, indicating a decline, though a slight one, in overall operating conditions. The output charges rose at the slowest rate since mid-2021. Although average operating expenses remained historically high, the firms chose not to pass the whole of elevated costs on to the clients. Inflationary pressures remained high across Japan’s manufacturing industry pushing the firms to spend higher on labour, logistics and raw materials. However, the rate of inflation had eased from August to reach the lowest for five months. In addition, the level of new orders placed with Japanese manufacturers continued to fall due to economic weaknesses. Nevertheless, this was partially offset by firms opting to complete outstanding orders. This resulted in backlogs of work falling at moderate pace which extended the prevalent sequence of depletion to two years. Adding to the woes of the manufacturing sector, international demand dipped with the new export sales contracting at a solid rate that was the strongest since March. At the same time, the level of input inventories also rose during the month. This was due to reductions over two consecutive months as firms held pre-production inventories to stay prepared for any eventual demand recovery. When manufacturers raised input purchases slightly in September, the vendor performance went down with lengthening of delivery times – a distinct for seven-month period. The rate of job creation remained fractional during the month, also lowest for a consecutive seven-month sequence. Despite all these challenges, the business confidence remained positive in September, based on the expectations of renewed demand and, as its outcome, the mass production of new products that would follow. Firms stayed hopeful for a wider economic recovery. Meanwhile, Japanese companies continued to deliver some notable innovations for the industry. New BOPP film The month of October saw the sample launch of a recycled flexible packaging BOPP (Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene) – a type of plastic film with a wide range of applications in the packaging, labelling, and laminating industries. The film is the result of a joint pilot test, initiated in August 2023, by Toppan Holdings Inc. group company Toppan Inc., RM Tohcello Co., Ltd., and Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. The printed waste generated by Toppan gets collected and taken to Mitsui Chemicals’ Nagoya Works which removes the ink to turn waste into pellets, which are then converted into film by RM Tohcello. The tested film is suited for mass production processes such as printing, laminating and pouch forming. The BOPP film samples were displayed at both the Toppan’s and Mitsui’s booths at Tokyo Pack 2024 event held on October 23-25, 2024. The three companies, which together established a technological and operational framework for the horizontal recycling of flexible packaging film, hope to see it enter the market within FY25 after further development and popularising.      The Japanese Government’s Resource Circulation Strategy for Plastics includes a target of transitioning to reusable or recyclable plastic designs by 2025. Milestones under the strategy for 2030 include the reuse and recycling of 60 per cent of plastic containers and packaging and doubling of recycling of plastic resources. With 2025 as an important starting point towards these milestones, it will be essential for companies engaged in the industry to expand efforts for reuse and recycling on their way to 2030. Advanced busbar covering Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. developed the ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering for the first time in the industry. Typically made of copper or aluminium, the busbar is a conductive metallic strip used for power connection or distribution. Busbars have wide-range of applications not only in switchboards and control panels but also in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles (HEVs). Busbars are protected with tape, tubing or other insulating parts as they are subjected to high currents and voltages, and in case of EVs and HEVs this subjection is even more severe. This calls for the insulations with more advanced properties of electrical insulation and heat resistance. The ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering is a new product that meets these requirements. The key features of new product include dielectric strength of 28 kV/mm, operating temperature range of −40°C to +200°C, bright orange on the outer surface, flexibility retention even after heat shrinking, and availability of ST-TC-1 Type for thermal interface applications, making it suitable for covering a heating part to transfer heat to the casing. Biomass-derived LAPEROS In September, Polyplastics Co., Ltd. – the global leader in engineering plastics, launched the LAPEROS bG-LCP sustainable solution based on biomass-derived materials which reduces CO2 emissions and improves the renewable content ratio. The solution is based on mass balance approach – an accounting principle that matches the inputs, such as plastic waste, with outputs from a recycling or production process to determine the recycled content. The mass balance approach combines raw materials derived from biomass with those derived from fossil resources. When further combined into resin manufacturing processes, a portion of the resulting product can be considered to be biomass-derived, according to the volume of biomass raw material input. Thus, it eliminates the prevalent need of producing biomass-derived and fossil resource-derived products separately. Furthermore, the users have no need to re-evaluate performance and quality for each separate grade. In this way, the approach effectively helps to achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy more quickly. To be commercialised in spring 2025, LAPEROS bG-LCP is manufactured like conventional products and exhibits the same chemical and physical properties. The company plans to expand this new solution to all grades of LAPEROS LCP. DuPont enhanced local capacity  On October 3, 2024, DuPont announced the successful completion of a significant expansion for photoresist manufacturing capacity at the DuPont Sasakami Site in Agano-shi, Niigata, Japan. The celebration event commemorated the opening of a new building named the East Star – a component of DuPont’s growth strategy for its lithography offerings. With this expansion, DuPont nearly doubled its photoresist production capacity at the site. The East Star Building features state-of-the-art cleanrooms with air cleanliness standards ranging from ISO Class 10 to Class 1000 for the production of high-quality photoresists. Additionally, the advanced automation systems have been implemented to reduce contamination risks and maintain a controlled, hygienic environment. JIAM 2024 The 13th edition of the Japan International Apparel & Non-Apparel Manufacturing Technology Trade Show (JIAM) 2024 Osaka took place from November 27 – 30, 2024 at INTEX Osaka, with inclusion of ‘non-apparel’ this time, to showcase the cutting-edge innovations from around the world. The non-apparel sectors had attracted a significant increase in exhibitors from the aerospace, automation and aviation industries, by the time this feature went in print, reflecting the growing demand for advanced textile solutions in these high-tech fields. The visitors were due for opportunity to explore a dynamic range of sewing and cutting machinery, latest textile products, technologies and services that drive industry innovation in critical sectors. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SB - WE) Source link

[oliviajoyice21]

Japan’s economic conditions, except price rise, remained largely in control in 2024. Japan’s core inflation stayed at or above the Central bank’s 2-per cent target for the 28th month in a row, and third consecutive month in July 2024. In the same month, the ‘core’ index, excluding fresh food and energy costs, rose 1.9 per cent after increasing 2.2 per cent in June. However, the government subsidies for electricity and gas, which ended in May before returning back in August, continued to be a concern that reflected in the price increase in July.Japan's 2024 economy faced controlled inflation but rising costs due to fluctuating subsidies. Textile trade showed mixed results; imports rose while textile machinery exports declined. Innovations included recycled BOPP film, advanced busbar covering, biomass-derived LCP, and DuPont's photoresist expansion. JIAM 2024 featured cutting-edge apparel and non-apparel technology. Japanese international trade of textile and clothing, up to August, demonstrated the usual ups and downs, except for exports of textile machinery which continued to show a consistent fall across comparable periods. Trade in May The month of May – second in the fiscal 2025, was particularly good for imports. The clothing and accessories imports increased 16 per cent to ¥258,270 million (~$1,700 million) contributing 2.7 per cent to the country’s total imports of ¥9,497,927 million. The increase in clothing imports during the month was second time in a row, after declining in previous months and the previous fiscal 2024. In addition, an 8.8 per cent y-o-y increase was seen in the textile yarn and fabric imports during the month, amounting to ¥102,626 million that accounted for 1.1 per cent of total imports. On the exports front, textile yarn and fabric increased 11.4 per cent reaching ¥67,648 million. However, exports of textile machinery dropped 32.8 per cent amounting to ¥21,418 million while contributing 0.3 per cent to total exports. Six-month trade On a six-month basis, from January to June, Japan’s imports of clothing and accessories reached ¥1,686,160 million (~$11,019 million). This represented an increase of 6.9 per cent over the imports during the same period last year. The share of this import was 3.1 per cent to total imports. The six-month imports of textile yarn and fabric, however, declined 1.3 per cent y-o-y, totalling to ¥561,889 million that contributed 1 per cent of total imports during the period. Specifically, in June, the imports of clothing and accessories at ¥240,887 million ($1,574 million) was 0.6 per cent more than the imports in June 2023. The imports of textile yarn and fabric decreased 13.5 per cent to ¥7,109 million during the same month. The exports of textile yarn and fabric in six-month period reached ¥403,331 million, registering an increase of 8.9 per cent but ¥128,147 million worth of textile machinery exports dropped 20.3 per cent y-o-y. The outbound shipment of textile yarn and fabric was noted as ¥73,516 million in June 2024, 6.3 per cent higher than the trade in the corresponding month of 2023. Textile machinery exports fell by 26.8 per cent to ¥19,143 million in June 2024. China’s domination The textile and clothing imports continued to increase in July too, marking a 14.9 per cent increase over July 2023. The import amounted to $2.8 billion (~¥428 billion) versus $2.44 billion (~¥373 billion) reflecting a rise in consumer demand and the country’s reliance on imported textiles to meet domestic demand. In this, clothing imports worth $1.9 billion (¥291 billion) increased 12.5 per cent y-o-y, while textile imports including fabrics and yarn increased 18.2 per cent and reached $900 million. The growth was driven by the recovery in consumer spending following the softening of COVID-19 restrictions and resurgence in the retail sector. China remained Japan’s top supplier of textile and clothing with 55 per cent share. The import from China in July stood at $1.54 billion (~¥236 billion), increasing 10 per cent y-o-y. The other major suppliers were Vietnam, Bangladesh and India, all with double-digit growth in their export volumes to Japan. The surge in imports underscored Japan’s growing demand for affordable and diverse fashion options, as well as high-quality textiles used in its various industries. However, it also highlights Japan’s dependence on international markets, making the country vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions. Japan’s exports of textile yarn and fabric in July rose by 8.2 per cent compared to July 2023, reaching ¥72,547 million ($474 million). In contrast, exports of textile machinery continued to fall, 28.1 per cent during the month, amounting to ¥21,282 million ($139 million) and contributing 0.2 per cent to total exports. Trade in August In August, exports of textile yarn and fabric increased 9.2 per cent compared to the same month last year and reached ¥66,353 million (~$434 million); and, exports of textile machinery, amounting to ¥23,262 million (~$152 million), fell 9.5 per cent. The imports of clothing and accessories during the month decreased 8.1 per cent to ¥348,002 million (~$2.27 billion) and constituted 3.8 per cent of total imports (¥9.137 trillion), according to provisional data from Japan’s Ministry of Finance. The imports of textile yarn and fabric decreased 5.7 per cent totalling to ¥91,014 million (1 per cent of total imports). Manufacturing woes in September The manufacturing sector had a troubled third quarter, with fall in production levels and a sustained drop in new orders continuing into September, as per au Jibun Bank Japan manufacturing PMI data. The headline manufacturing PMI in August was 49.8 (neutral 50 being the threshold) which dropped marginally to 49.7 in September, indicating a decline, though a slight one, in overall operating conditions. The output charges rose at the slowest rate since mid-2021. Although average operating expenses remained historically high, the firms chose not to pass the whole of elevated costs on to the clients. Inflationary pressures remained high across Japan’s manufacturing industry pushing the firms to spend higher on labour, logistics and raw materials. However, the rate of inflation had eased from August to reach the lowest for five months. In addition, the level of new orders placed with Japanese manufacturers continued to fall due to economic weaknesses. Nevertheless, this was partially offset by firms opting to complete outstanding orders. This resulted in backlogs of work falling at moderate pace which extended the prevalent sequence of depletion to two years. Adding to the woes of the manufacturing sector, international demand dipped with the new export sales contracting at a solid rate that was the strongest since March. At the same time, the level of input inventories also rose during the month. This was due to reductions over two consecutive months as firms held pre-production inventories to stay prepared for any eventual demand recovery. When manufacturers raised input purchases slightly in September, the vendor performance went down with lengthening of delivery times – a distinct for seven-month period. The rate of job creation remained fractional during the month, also lowest for a consecutive seven-month sequence. Despite all these challenges, the business confidence remained positive in September, based on the expectations of renewed demand and, as its outcome, the mass production of new products that would follow. Firms stayed hopeful for a wider economic recovery. Meanwhile, Japanese companies continued to deliver some notable innovations for the industry. New BOPP film The month of October saw the sample launch of a recycled flexible packaging BOPP (Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene) – a type of plastic film with a wide range of applications in the packaging, labelling, and laminating industries. The film is the result of a joint pilot test, initiated in August 2023, by Toppan Holdings Inc. group company Toppan Inc., RM Tohcello Co., Ltd., and Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. The printed waste generated by Toppan gets collected and taken to Mitsui Chemicals’ Nagoya Works which removes the ink to turn waste into pellets, which are then converted into film by RM Tohcello. The tested film is suited for mass production processes such as printing, laminating and pouch forming. The BOPP film samples were displayed at both the Toppan’s and Mitsui’s booths at Tokyo Pack 2024 event held on October 23-25, 2024. The three companies, which together established a technological and operational framework for the horizontal recycling of flexible packaging film, hope to see it enter the market within FY25 after further development and popularising.      The Japanese Government’s Resource Circulation Strategy for Plastics includes a target of transitioning to reusable or recyclable plastic designs by 2025. Milestones under the strategy for 2030 include the reuse and recycling of 60 per cent of plastic containers and packaging and doubling of recycling of plastic resources. With 2025 as an important starting point towards these milestones, it will be essential for companies engaged in the industry to expand efforts for reuse and recycling on their way to 2030. Advanced busbar covering Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. developed the ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering for the first time in the industry. Typically made of copper or aluminium, the busbar is a conductive metallic strip used for power connection or distribution. Busbars have wide-range of applications not only in switchboards and control panels but also in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles (HEVs). Busbars are protected with tape, tubing or other insulating parts as they are subjected to high currents and voltages, and in case of EVs and HEVs this subjection is even more severe. This calls for the insulations with more advanced properties of electrical insulation and heat resistance. The ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering is a new product that meets these requirements. The key features of new product include dielectric strength of 28 kV/mm, operating temperature range of −40°C to +200°C, bright orange on the outer surface, flexibility retention even after heat shrinking, and availability of ST-TC-1 Type for thermal interface applications, making it suitable for covering a heating part to transfer heat to the casing. Biomass-derived LAPEROS In September, Polyplastics Co., Ltd. – the global leader in engineering plastics, launched the LAPEROS bG-LCP sustainable solution based on biomass-derived materials which reduces CO2 emissions and improves the renewable content ratio. The solution is based on mass balance approach – an accounting principle that matches the inputs, such as plastic waste, with outputs from a recycling or production process to determine the recycled content. The mass balance approach combines raw materials derived from biomass with those derived from fossil resources. When further combined into resin manufacturing processes, a portion of the resulting product can be considered to be biomass-derived, according to the volume of biomass raw material input. Thus, it eliminates the prevalent need of producing biomass-derived and fossil resource-derived products separately. Furthermore, the users have no need to re-evaluate performance and quality for each separate grade. In this way, the approach effectively helps to achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy more quickly. To be commercialised in spring 2025, LAPEROS bG-LCP is manufactured like conventional products and exhibits the same chemical and physical properties. The company plans to expand this new solution to all grades of LAPEROS LCP. DuPont enhanced local capacity  On October 3, 2024, DuPont announced the successful completion of a significant expansion for photoresist manufacturing capacity at the DuPont Sasakami Site in Agano-shi, Niigata, Japan. The celebration event commemorated the opening of a new building named the East Star – a component of DuPont’s growth strategy for its lithography offerings. With this expansion, DuPont nearly doubled its photoresist production capacity at the site. The East Star Building features state-of-the-art cleanrooms with air cleanliness standards ranging from ISO Class 10 to Class 1000 for the production of high-quality photoresists. Additionally, the advanced automation systems have been implemented to reduce contamination risks and maintain a controlled, hygienic environment. JIAM 2024 The 13th edition of the Japan International Apparel & Non-Apparel Manufacturing Technology Trade Show (JIAM) 2024 Osaka took place from November 27 – 30, 2024 at INTEX Osaka, with inclusion of ‘non-apparel’ this time, to showcase the cutting-edge innovations from around the world. The non-apparel sectors had attracted a significant increase in exhibitors from the aerospace, automation and aviation industries, by the time this feature went in print, reflecting the growing demand for advanced textile solutions in these high-tech fields. The visitors were due for opportunity to explore a dynamic range of sewing and cutting machinery, latest textile products, technologies and services that drive industry innovation in critical sectors. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SB - WE) Source link

[agaselectronicmaterials]

Advanced Packaging Solutions with UV-Curable Adhesive Photoresist

Discover how UV-curable adhesive photoresists revolutionise advanced packaging in the electronics industry. Benefit from high resolution, strong adhesion, fast curing times, and environmental advantages. Contact A-Gas Electronic Materials for expert advice and high-quality solutions to optimise your packaging processes.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Innovative photoresist materials pave the way for smaller, high performance semiconductor chips

For more than 50 years, the semiconductor industry has been hard at work developing advanced technologies that have led to the amazing increases in computing power and energy efficiency that have improved our lives. A primary way the industry has achieved these remarkable performance gains has been by finding ways to decrease the size of the semiconductor devices in microchips. However, with semiconductor feature sizes now approaching only a few nanometers—just a few hundred atoms—it has become increasingly challenging to sustain continued device miniaturization. To address the challenges associated with fabricating even smaller microchip components, the semiconductor industry is currently transitioning to a more powerful fabrication method—extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. EUV lithography employs light that is only 13.5 nanometers in wavelength to form tiny circuit patterns in a photoresist, the light-sensitive material integral to the lithography process.

Read more.

[skyjohn009]

 Growing Demand for Advanced Semiconductor Devices Drives Photolithography Equipment Market

 Growing Demand for Advanced Semiconductor Devices Drives Photolithography Equipment Market

 The global Photolithography Equipment Market size was valued at USD 9,468 Million in 2021 and is projected to reach from USD XX Million in 2022 to USD 14096 Million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period (2022–2030).

The global Photolithamination Equipment Market is expected to witness significant growth due to the increasing demand for advanced semiconductor devices. The market is driven by the growing need for miniaturization of electronic devices, which requires the use of photolithamination equipment.

The market is also influenced by the rising adoption of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G, and the Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies require the use of advanced semiconductor devices, which in turn drives the demand for photolithamination equipment.

Request Sample Link:https://straitsresearch.com/report/photolithography-equipment-market/request-sample

Market Definition

Photolithography equipment, also known as optical lithography or UV lithography, is a process used in microfabrication to pattern parts of a thin film or the bulk of a substrate. It uses light to transfer a pattern from a photomask to a light-sensitive chemical (photoresist) on the substrate.

Latest Trends

Increasing demand for miniaturized electronic devices

Growing adoption of 5G technology and artificial intelligence

Rising demand for advanced packaging technologies

Increasing focus on research and development activities

Key Opportunity

The growing demand for advanced semiconductor devices and the increasing adoption of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are expected to create new opportunities for the photolithography equipment market.

Key Players

The key players in the photolithography equipment market are:

ASML Holding NV

Canon Inc.

Nikon Corporation

SÜSS MICROTEC SE

Holmarc Opto-Mechatronics (P) Ltd

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC)

KLA Corporation

S-Cubed Company

Osiris International GmbH

Veeco Instruments Inc.

Market Segmentation

The photolithography equipment market is segmented based on process, application, light source, type, wavelength, and end-user.

By Process

Ultraviolet

Deep Ultraviolet

Extreme Ultraviolet

By Application

Front-end

Back-end

By Light Source

Mercury Lamp

Fluorine Laser

Excimer Laser

Others

By Type

EUV

DUV

I-Line

ArF

ArFi

KrF

By Wavelength

370 nm–270 nm

270 nm–170 nm

70 nm–1 nm

By End User

IDMS

Foundries

 Buy Now:https://straitsresearch.com/buy-now/photolithography-equipment-market

About Straits Research

Straits Research is a top provider of business intelligence, specializing in research, analytics, and advisory services, with a focus on delivering in-depth insights through comprehensive reports.

[shrutijadhav2139]

Semiconductor Chemicals Market Overview: Analyzing the Impact of Emerging Trends and Innovations

The semiconductor chemicals market is at the heart of the global electronics and technology sectors, enabling the production of essential components for a wide range of devices. From smartphones and computers to electric vehicles (EVs) and advanced medical equipment, semiconductors are indispensable in modern life. As technological innovations continue to push the boundaries of performance, the role of semiconductor chemicals has become even more critical. In this article, we will explore the impact of emerging trends and innovations shaping the semiconductor chemicals market and how companies are adapting to these changes.

Market Overview

The semiconductor chemicals market includes a range of products used in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. These chemicals are involved in various stages of semiconductor manufacturing, such as wafer preparation, photolithography, etching, cleaning, and doping. Semiconductor chemicals are crucial for ensuring that semiconductor devices meet the performance, size, and efficiency requirements of today’s advanced electronics.

In recent years, the semiconductor chemicals market has experienced significant growth, driven by several factors. The increasing demand for electronic devices, combined with innovations in sectors such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT), has led to a surge in the production of more complex and powerful semiconductors. These innovations require highly specialized chemicals, which has propelled the demand for advanced materials and technologies in semiconductor manufacturing.

Impact of Emerging Trends

One of the most notable emerging trends in the semiconductor chemicals market is the push for smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient devices. As the demand for semiconductors grows, so too does the need for smaller, more precise, and more powerful chips. Semiconductor manufacturers are working to meet these demands by adopting advanced technologies such as extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, which enables the creation of smaller features on semiconductor wafers.

This trend has a direct impact on the semiconductor chemicals market, as EUV requires the development of new photoresist materials, which are specialized chemicals used in photolithography. The use of EUV technology allows manufacturers to produce semiconductors with smaller geometries, leading to more powerful devices while reducing power consumption. As EUV technology becomes more widely adopted, demand for specialized semiconductor chemicals that support these advanced manufacturing processes is expected to grow.

Another key trend is the increasing focus on sustainability in semiconductor manufacturing. As environmental concerns grow, semiconductor manufacturers are facing increasing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint and adopt greener manufacturing processes. This has led to an innovation push in the semiconductor chemicals market, with companies working to develop environmentally friendly chemicals that do not compromise performance. The shift toward green chemistry is expected to become a dominant force in the coming years, especially as stricter regulations around chemical usage and disposal are enforced.

Companies are also focusing on the development of biodegradable or less hazardous chemicals to comply with environmental standards and to meet consumer demand for more eco-friendly products. This innovation is not just about meeting regulatory requirements; it also presents an opportunity for companies to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market. Those able to innovate in green semiconductor chemicals stand to gain significant market share.

Innovations Shaping the Market

In addition to EUV and sustainability-focused innovations, other technological advancements are impacting the semiconductor chemicals market. The growing adoption of 5G technology, for instance, requires highly advanced semiconductor chips that can handle high-speed data transmission. These chips need to be manufactured with precision and high performance, creating a demand for advanced chemicals such as specialty gases, etchants, and dopants. These chemicals are integral to creating the complex structures necessary for 5G semiconductors.

Furthermore, the rise of quantum computing is spurring the development of new semiconductor materials and manufacturing processes. Quantum computing promises to revolutionize industries by solving complex problems that traditional computers cannot handle. However, it also demands entirely new approaches to semiconductor manufacturing, with an emphasis on materials and chemicals that can withstand the extreme conditions required for quantum computing.

As the semiconductor industry continues to evolve, innovations like these will drive further advancements in semiconductor chemicals. Companies that stay ahead of these trends by investing in research and development will be better positioned to supply the next generation of semiconductor chemicals that meet the demands of emerging technologies.

Geographic Implications

Regionally, Asia Pacific continues to dominate the semiconductor chemicals market. Countries like Taiwan, South Korea, and China are home to some of the largest semiconductor manufacturing hubs globally. These regions are investing heavily in expanding semiconductor production capabilities to keep up with the growing demand for chips. As semiconductor manufacturers in these regions scale up, they are driving demand for advanced chemicals used in semiconductor fabrication.

The United States and Europe are also key players in the semiconductor chemicals market. In these regions, the emphasis is often on research and development for next-generation technologies, such as quantum computing, AI, and automotive electronics. As the semiconductor industry in these regions grows, companies will need to focus on developing specialized chemical formulations that meet the exacting requirements of these advanced technologies.

Conclusion

The semiconductor chemicals market is evolving rapidly, driven by technological innovations in fields such as 5G, AI, IoT, and quantum computing. These innovations are pushing the demand for more advanced semiconductor chemicals that support cutting-edge manufacturing processes like EUV lithography. In addition, the industry is shifting toward more sustainable practices, with an emphasis on eco-friendly chemical formulations that meet regulatory requirements and consumer expectations. As semiconductor technology continues to advance, the market for semiconductor chemicals will expand, providing ample opportunities for innovation and growth. Companies that can adapt to these trends, invest in research and development, and offer specialized solutions will be best positioned to succeed in this dynamic and competitive market.

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Unlocking Precision: The Growth of the Chemical Milling Market

The Chemical Milling Market has gained momentum in recent years due to its crucial role in industries such as aerospace, automotive, medical, electronics, and defense. This niche manufacturing process, which uses chemical solutions to etch precise patterns or remove layers from metal parts, allows for the creation of lightweight and complex components with unparalleled precision. This article delves into the market's current trends, key players, growth factors, and emerging innovations.

Introduction to Chemical Milling

Chemical milling, also known as chemical etching, is a subtractive manufacturing process used to produce intricate metal parts by dissolving specific portions of the metal with chemical solutions. Industries favor chemical milling for its precision, cost-efficiency, and ability to work with various metals, including aluminum, titanium, steel, and copper alloys.

The process finds widespread application in sectors demanding high accuracy, such as aerospace, where lightweight and durable components are crucial. Beyond aerospace, the process has gained traction in the electronics and medical industries, driven by advancements in technology and the growing demand for customized solutions.

Market Overview

The global chemical milling market was valued at approximately $X billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $Y billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of Z% during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to increasing demand for lightweight components, advancements in chemical etching technologies, and the rise of renewable energy applications requiring precise metal parts.

Key Industries Driving Demand

Aerospace & Defense Chemical milling is extensively used for creating structural components, fuel tanks, and turbine blades. With the expansion of commercial aviation and defense budgets, demand for chemically milled parts is surging.

Automotive In electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous vehicles, chemical milling is used to manufacture lightweight components, improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions.

Electronics The rise of miniaturized devices and high-density interconnects (HDI) has fueled the need for precise chemical etching techniques in circuit boards and microelectronic components.

Medical Devices Chemical milling is critical for producing surgical instruments, implants, and other medical equipment with complex geometries and high precision.

Emerging Trends in the Chemical Milling Market

1. Eco-Friendly Etching Solutions

Regulatory pressure to reduce environmental impact has led to the development of eco-friendly chemical solutions. These innovations focus on reducing hazardous waste and energy consumption.

2. Integration with Automation

Automation is transforming chemical milling processes, ensuring greater accuracy and reducing lead times. Automated systems enable real-time monitoring, enhancing quality control and efficiency.

3. Advancements in Photochemical Machining

Photochemical machining, a subset of chemical milling, uses photoresist technology for precise patterning. This method is gaining popularity in electronics and micromechanical applications.

4. 3D Chemical Milling

While traditionally applied to flat surfaces, advancements now allow for 3D etching, enabling more complex part geometries.

5. Increased Use of Recyclable Materials

Manufacturers are shifting toward using recyclable and sustainable materials to align with global sustainability goals, reducing both costs and environmental impact.

Challenges in the Market

Despite its advantages, the chemical milling market faces challenges:

Regulatory Restrictions The use of hazardous chemicals in the etching process is subject to stringent environmental regulations, particularly in developed regions such as North America and Europe.

High Competition from Additive Manufacturing Additive manufacturing (3D printing) is rapidly advancing, offering an alternative for creating complex metal components. However, chemical milling maintains its edge in terms of precision and scalability.

Rising Raw Material Costs Fluctuating prices of metals such as titanium and aluminum can impact production costs, creating pricing pressure for manufacturers.

Regional Insights

North America

North America remains a dominant player in the chemical milling market due to its well-established aerospace and defense industries. The region also invests heavily in R&D, driving technological advancements in the field.

Europe

Europe's chemical milling market benefits from the automotive industry's focus on lightweight materials. Countries such as Germany and the UK are hubs for innovation in chemical etching solutions.

Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific is witnessing rapid growth, driven by the booming electronics industry in countries like China, South Korea, and Japan. The region's low production costs and expanding automotive sector contribute to market expansion.

Middle East & Africa

Though smaller in scale, the Middle East is emerging as a key market, with investments in aerospace and defense projects boosting demand for chemical milling.

Key Players in the Market

Several prominent companies are driving innovation and competition in the chemical milling market:

Orbel Corporation

Advanced Chemical Etching Ltd.

Tech-Etch, Inc.

United Western Enterprises, Inc.

VACCO Industries

Chemcut Corporation

Precision Micro Ltd.

Photofabrication Engineering, Inc.

UWE Bristol

Tecan Ltd.

These companies focus on developing advanced etching technologies, eco-friendly solutions, and automated processes to stay ahead in the competitive landscape.

Future Outlook

The chemical milling market is poised for significant growth as industries increasingly adopt lightweight and precise manufacturing solutions. Emerging applications in renewable energy and electric vehicles, coupled with advancements in automation and green chemistry, will further propel the market.

However, to maintain sustainability and competitiveness, companies must focus on overcoming challenges such as environmental concerns and competition from alternative technologies.

Conclusion

The chemical milling market stands at the intersection of precision engineering and technological innovation. With its versatility and efficiency, chemical milling continues to be a cornerstone of modern manufacturing, meeting the needs of various industries. As the market evolves, driven by technological advancements and sustainability goals, chemical milling will remain a critical process for producing high-quality metal components.

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Optical Lithography Services

DisChem offers advanced optical lithography services that cater to industries requiring high-resolution patterning for semiconductor, photonics, and MEMS applications. Utilizing state-of-the-art equipment, their optical lithography processes ensure precise, repeatable results in the fabrication of micro and nano-scale devices. DisChem’s expertise in handling a variety of photoresists and substrates ensures optimal performance in even the most complex lithographic projects. These services are designed to meet the evolving needs of industries that demand accuracy, reliability, and innovation in microfabrication technologies.

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What are Rigid Circuits? : Rigid Circuits

Rigid circuits, also known as rigid printed circuit boards (PCBs), are made from non-flexible materials that provide a solid foundation for electronic components. Unlike flexible circuits, which can bend and conform to various shapes, rigid circuits maintain their shape and rigidity throughout their lifecycle. They are used in applications where mechanical stability and structural integrity are crucial.

Types of Rigid Circuits : Rigid Circuits

Single-Sided PCBs: These have a single layer of conductive material and are often used in simple electronic devices. They are cost-effective and straightforward to manufacture.

Double-Sided PCBs: These circuits have conductive layers on both sides of the board, allowing for more complex designs and higher component density. They are used in applications requiring more advanced functionality.

Multi-Layer PCBs: These consist of multiple layers of conductive material separated by insulating layers. Multi-layer PCBs can accommodate complex circuit designs and high-density interconnections, making them suitable for advanced electronics such as computers and telecommunications equipment.

Key Features of Rigid Circuits : Rigid Circuits

Mechanical Strength: Rigid circuits provide structural support for electronic components, ensuring they remain securely in place and are protected from mechanical stress.

Thermal Stability: They offer good thermal stability, which helps dissipate heat generated by electronic components and prevents overheating.

Electrical Performance: Rigid circuits provide reliable electrical connections and signal transmission, ensuring consistent performance of electronic devices.

Cost-Effectiveness: They are generally less expensive to produce than flexible circuits, making them a popular choice for a wide range of applications.

Applications of Rigid Circuits : Rigid Circuits

Consumer Electronics: Rigid circuits are widely used in devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and televisions. They provide the necessary support and connectivity for various electronic components.

Automotive Electronics: In the automotive industry, rigid circuits are used in control systems, infotainment systems, and safety features. Their durability and reliability are essential for vehicle performance and safety.

Industrial Equipment: Rigid circuits are employed in industrial machinery, control systems, and automation equipment. Their robustness ensures reliable operation in demanding environments.

Medical Devices: In medical technology, rigid circuits are used in diagnostic equipment, monitoring devices, and other healthcare applications. Their accuracy and reliability are crucial for patient safety and effective treatment.

Manufacturing Process : Rigid Circuits

The manufacturing of rigid circuits involves several steps:

Material Preparation: The process begins with the preparation of laminate sheets, which consist of a base material (such as FR4) and a copper layer. The laminate is coated with a photoresist material that will be used to define the circuit pattern.

Patterning: The circuit design is transferred to the laminate using photolithography. The photoresist material is exposed to light through a mask, which creates a pattern on the copper layer.

Etching: The unexposed copper is removed using an etching solution, leaving behind the desired circuit pattern.

Drilling and Plating: Holes are drilled into the board for component placement, and the holes are plated with a conductive material to create electrical connections between different layers of the circuit.

Assembly and Testing: Electronic components are soldered onto the circuit board, and the assembled boards undergo rigorous testing to ensure they meet performance and reliability standards.

Conclusion : Rigid CircuitsRigid circuits are a vital component of modern electronics, providing the mechanical support and electrical connectivity needed for a wide range of applications. Their durability, thermal stability, and cost-effectiveness make them an essential choice for manufacturers and designers. As technology continues to evolve, rigid circuits remain a foundational element in the development of advanced electronic devices and systems.

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In the dynamic world of technology, the quest for innovation is relentless. At the forefront of this pursuit are materials that are not only versatile but also capable of revolutionising the way we interact with technology. One such material is negative photoresist, a substance traditionally used in photolithography. Its unique properties make it a key tool in the development of emerging technologies. Read the article to know more.