Sumitomo Chemical announced July 2 that its Korean subsidiary, Dongwoo Fine-Chem, has signed a joint venture agreement with Samsung Electro-Mechanics to establish a company focused on glass core substrates for advanced semiconductor packages.

According to Sumitomo Chemical, the new company is expected to be established in 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, and will gradually expand production capacity after building an initial supply system targeted for the second half of fiscal 2027.

Glass core substrates are being developed as a next-generation packaging technology for high-performance semiconductors. The companies said the substrates offer improved rigidity, dimensional stability, reduced warpage and lower thermal expansion, which can support larger package sizes and higher-density wiring required for AI processors and other advanced computing applications.

Dongwoo Fine-Chem will contribute glass handling technologies, automated large-area substrate processing capabilities and manufacturing process control expertise developed through its thin-glass operations. Samsung Electro-Mechanics will provide substrate design, high-density wiring and large-package manufacturing technologies, along with commercialization experience in AI server and advanced semiconductor markets.

The companies said the joint venture will combine these capabilities to support development, production ramp-up and eventual mass production of glass core substrates for advanced semiconductor packages.

Sumitomo Chemical said the investment is part of its broader strategy to expand its semiconductor materials business beyond front-end products such as photoresists and semiconductor chemicals into back-end packaging materials, substrate materials and next-generation process technologies.

The announcement follows other recent semiconductor supply-chain investments involving Samsung. In May, Air Products announced it had been selected by Samsung Electronics to supply nitrogen, oxygen, argon and hydrogen for a new semiconductor fabrication facility in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. Air Products said the gas production facilities and specialty gas systems are expected to start up in phases between 2028 and 2030 as part of its largest semiconductor industry investment to date.