YPT selected for government R&D project on glass substrates, secures 7 billion won including private investment

[Financial News] YPT, the plating-specialist subsidiary of chemical materials company YMT, announced on the 19th that it had secured final selection for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ Tech Investor Program for Scale-up (TIPS for Scale-up). Following private investment, YPT plans to accelerate the expansion of its next-generation semiconductor glass-substrate business by securing government research and development (R&D) funding.
The TIPS for Scale-up program supports promising technology companies in strengthening their global technological competitiveness by linking private investment with government R&D funding. YPT previously attracted a total of 4 billion won in private investment from the Platinum-Materials, Parts and Equipment Investment Partnership and the Platinum-Ubiquoss Mid-sized Enterprise Innovation Fund. With this selection, it secured an additional 3 billion won in government R&D funding, bringing its total investment and R&D resources to 7 billion won. The funds will be directed primarily toward upgrading core glass-substrate process technologies, establishing equipment dedicated to TGV (Through Glass Via, or a hole through the glass) plating, and expanding advanced production lines.
YPT is setting up a dedicated TGV plating line ordered last February. It plans to complete setup of the main production equipment in October and begin full-scale operations after stabilizing the process. Once the expansion is complete, monthly glass-substrate production capacity will increase about fivefold, from around 300 sheets to up to 1,600.
Glass substrates are drawing attention as a key material that can overcome the limitations of conventional organic-material substrates in the next-generation semiconductor packaging market. In particular, as AI and high-performance semiconductors move toward higher levels of integration, substrate flatness, dimensional stability and the ability to form fine circuits are becoming increasingly important, as is glass-substrate plating technology.
A semiconductor packaging industry official said, “In the glass-substrate business, it is important to secure stable production processes as well as the technological capability to realize the material’s properties,” adding, “Upgrading TGV plating processes and expanding production capacity will provide an important foundation for meeting customer demand and securing competitiveness in mass production in the future.”
YPT’s strategy is to combine its TGV plating process and equipment technology with the chemical supply infrastructure of its parent company, YMT, to establish a distinctive and differentiated technological edge in the next-generation semiconductor packaging market.
A YPT representative said, “The selection for TIPS for Scale-up and the attraction of private investment are the result of recognition of the competitiveness of YPT’s TGV plating technology as a core technology that will lead the next-generation semiconductor market. With investment of around 10 billion won in production facilities also proceeding as planned, we will stabilize our production system with the goal of beginning normal operations early next year and continue to build our competitiveness in the next-generation semiconductor packaging market.”
[email protected] Choi Doo-seon Reporter