Meeting soaring demand for essential semiconductor manufacturing material
Solvay today officially opened a significant expansion at its Zhenjiang, China, facility, doubling its production capacity for electronic grade hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) annually. This investment underscores Solvay's commitment to supporting the semiconductor industry, which relies on this ultra-pure chemical for integrated circuit manufacturing.
Electronic grade H2O2 is essential for critical cleaning and etching in semiconductor chip production. Achieving its requisite purity is extraordinarily challenging, with impurities measured in single-digit parts per trillion (similar to finding a grain of salt in a soccer field). Only a select number of companies worldwide possess the advanced capabilities and manufacturing processes required to meet these exacting specifications.
This expansion builds upon Solvay's initial launch of electronic grade H2O2 production at this site in 2018 and directly addresses the escalating demand for these vital materials, as electronic devices continue to advance and the industry strives to keep pace with the number of transistors on integrated circuits doubling approximately every two years.
"This significant capacity increase demonstrates our agility and dedication to customers in the rapidly expanding electronics sector," stated Carlos Silveira, President of Solvay's Peroxides business. "Thanks to Zhenjiang's well-established business environment and specialized support, this expansion strategically positions us to continue supplying critical materials for the next generation of technological innovation. Our INTEROX® Pico grades offer industry-leading purity and uniformity, supported by identical manufacturing processes across our global production facilities, which is a crucial factor for semiconductor producers seeking worldwide consistency."
The inauguration event on September 15, 2025, was attended by Zhenjiang Economic and Technological Development Zone leaders, Solvay CEO Philippe Kehren, and Peroxide GBU President Carlos Silveira. This new expansion, which joins other investments in the US, Europe, Taiwan and China, further consolidates Solvay's leadership in the electronic chemicals market, serving critical applications in semiconductors, flat panel displays, photovoltaics, and MEMS/LED fabrication.
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Solvay, a pioneering chemical company with a legacy rooted in founder Ernest Solvay's pivotal innovations in the soda ash process, is dedicated to delivering essential solutions globally through its workforce of over 9,000 employees. Since 1863, Solvay has harnessed the power of chemistry to create innovative, sustainable solutions that answer the world’s most essential needs such as purifying the air we breathe and the water we use, preserving our food supplies, protecting our health and well-being, creating eco-friendly clothing, making the tires of our cars more sustainable and cleaning and protecting our homes. Solvay’s unwavering commitment drives the transition to a carbon-neutral future by 2050, underscoring its dedication to sustainability and a fair and just transition. As a world-leading company with €4.7 billion in net sales in 2024, Solvay is listed on Euronext Brussels and Paris (SOLB). For more information about Solvay, please visit solvay.com or follow Solvay on LinkedIn.