News
Shikoku Chemicals Tough-Ace rust inhibitor becomes industry standard for printed circuit board manufacturing
Monday, February 16, 2026 at 10:35 AM
Shikoku Chemicals has established its Tough-Ace rust inhibitor for printed circuit boards as an industry standard. The material forms an organic coating on circuit surfaces to improve reliability and is specified by major electronics manufacturers globally.
Context
Shikoku Kasei Holdings has solidified its position as a critical bottleneck provider in the semiconductor supply chain with its Tough-Ace rust inhibitor. This organic solderability preservative (OSP) has effectively become the global industry standard for high-performance printed circuit boards (PCBs). By forming a nanometer-scale organic film on copper circuits, Tough-Ace ensures long-term solderability and reliability, leading to formal material designations from nearly all major electronics manufacturers.
The timing is critical as AI server infrastructure and high-speed communication modules require the extreme precision that OSPs provide over traditional plating. Shikoku Kasei currently maintains a dominant global market share of approximately 60% in the OSP segment. Driven by this high-margin chemicals business, the company recently raised its full-year operating profit forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2025 to 10.5 billion yen, reflecting a significant 14.1% year-on-year increase in its electronics materials division.
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Shikoku Kasei Holdings
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