Belgian chemicals giant Solvay announced on Thursday that it will more than double the annual capacity of ultra‑pure hydrogen peroxide at its joint‑venture facility, Shinsol Advanced Chemicals, in Tainan, Taiwan, by the end of 2026. The expansion will raise output from roughly 35,000 tonnes to over 70,000 tonnes.
President of Solvay’s Peroxides business, Carlos Silveira, told Reuters the move is driven by the rapid growth of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, which is adding new advanced‑node fabs to satisfy AI‑driven demand. “Taiwan is the centre of the advanced nodes,” Silveira said, noting that two new 3‑nanometer fabs could quickly consume the additional peroxide supply.
Strategic goals and global outlook
Solvay aims to at least triple the contribution of its electronics‑grade peroxide business within the next five to seven years. The electronics peroxide segment accounted for 15% of the company’s total peroxide sales in 2025. To support this ambition, Solvay is also expanding electronic‑grade peroxide production in Germany and preparing to capture opportunities in the United States, after having increased capacity in China last year.
Market research firm Mordor Intelligence projects high‑purity peroxides, including electronic grades, to grow at an annual rate of 5.31% through 2031—outpacing the overall peroxide market’s projected 3.96% growth. The demand is being fueled by sub‑5 nm semiconductor fabs across the Asia‑Pacific region and North America.
Why ultra‑pure peroxide matters
Ultra‑pure hydrogen peroxide is a critical cleaning agent for semiconductor wafers. As chipmakers push to smaller geometries, even the tiniest contamination can affect yield and performance, making high‑purity cleaning chemicals essential.
Solvay produces the catalysts and chemistry required to manufacture hydrogen peroxide and performs the specialized purification needed for semiconductor applications, positioning the company as a key supplier to the global chip industry.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
