Linde, the world's largest industrial gas company, produces and supplies half of the domestic semiconductor demand for rare gases domestically.

On the 3rd, Linde signed an MOU for investment in industrial gas production facilities with Gyeonggi Province and Pyeongtaek City.

Through this MOU, Linde plans to invest 150 billion won in Pyeongtaek by 2031 to establish an industrial gas production facility and produce semiconductor rare gases such as krypton and xenon domestically to supply them to domestic customers.

Linde has been importing rare gases produced by Linde's overseas subsidiaries and supplying them to customers, but going forward, it plans to produce and supply about half of its domestic supply directly in Korea.

Semiconductor rare gases exist only in extremely small quantities on Earth, making mass production difficult and artificial production impossible.

In the semiconductor industry, rare gases such as krypton, xenon, and neon are essential materials, and as these rare gases have a high dependence on foreign countries, their domestic production is progressing rapidly to stabilize the domestic supply chain.

Krypton and xenon are mainly used in the etching process to remove the semiconductor circuit pattern from semiconductor wafers, and neon is mainly used in the exposure process to engrave microcircuits on semiconductor wafers.
br /> This investment is expected to be a great help in stabilizing the domestic supply chain of semiconductor rare gases and strengthening the foundation of the Korean semiconductor industry.

In addition, if rare gases that were previously imported are produced domestically, a significant import substitution effect will occur, and it is expected that this will have the effect of revitalizing the local economy by creating new jobs and securing tax revenue.

Linde Korea currently owns industrial gas facilities in an industrial complex exclusively for foreign investment companies located in Hyeongok, Pyeongtaek.

Linde Korea, which was considering building a rare gas production facility, pursued securing a site near the Hyeongok industrial gas facility to reduce logistics costs and operate the facility efficiently.

Founded in 1897, Linde is headquartered in Connecticut, USA and is a global industrial gas production and engineering company with annual sales of $31 billion by supplying industrial gases and related equipment to various industries including semiconductors, petrochemicals, food and beverage, and displays.

“Linde will continue to expand its local production capacity in Korea to ensure a stable supply of products,” said John Panikar, President of Linde Asia Pacific. “We will do our best to add value to our customers’ businesses and provide the best products and services.”