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Air Liquide opens its first advanced semiconductor materials plant in Taichung, Taiwan
Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 02:35 AM
Air Liquide has inaugurated its first advanced semiconductor materials facility in Taichung, Taiwan. This plant is specialized in producing critical materials for advanced deposition and etching processes required for high-end AI chip manufacturing. The company has invested over 1 billion euros in Taiwan since 2019 and currently maintains 54 chip-focused facilities in the country.
Context
On March 25, 2026, Air Liquide inaugurated its first large-scale advanced materials manufacturing plant in Taichung, Taiwan. This facility is specifically designed to produce high-engineered molecules for atomic layer deposition (ALD) and etching processes. These materials are critical for the production of next-generation chips powering Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing, particularly as the industry moves toward and beyond the 2nm node.
This opening represents a significant expansion of Air Liquide's footprint in the region, where the company already operates 54 facilities. Since 2019, the French industrial gas giant has invested more than €1 billion ($1.16 billion) in Taiwan to secure its leadership in the electronics supply chain. By localizing production near major customers like TSMC, the company aims to enhance supply chain reliability and accelerate technical breakthroughs in nano-scale manufacturing.
The investment underscores a broader strategic shift as global material suppliers like Linde and Air Products face increasing pressure to provide ultra-high purity materials with minimal lead times. As chip miniaturization approaches atomic scales, the proximity of this new plant allows for deeper collaboration on material performance, which has become a strategic imperative for the world's most advanced semiconductor hub.
Sources (10)
Air Liquide inaugurates its first Advanced Materials manufacturing plant in Taiwan, strengthening the next-gen semiconductor supply chain | Air LiquideAIR LIQUIDE (EPA:AI) | Air Liquide inaugurates its first Advanced Materials manufacturing plant in Taiwan, strengthening the next-gen semiconductor supply chainAir Liquide Far Eastern Breaks Ground on New Hwaya Project, Boosting Electronic-Grade Nitrogen Capacity to Support Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing | Air Liquide in Taiwan[PDF] 5 Operational Highlights - TSMC Investor RelationsTSMC supplier Air Liquide opens first chip materials plant in Taiwan - Nikkei AsiaAir Liquide opens chip materials plant in Taiwan | Mar. 25, 2026 17:33Annual Global IC Fabs And Facilities ReportAir Liquide Opens First Advanced Materials Plant in Taiwan
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