Page 172 - CW E-Magazine (13-8-2024)

News from Abroad

SPECIALITY GASES
EFC announces $210-mn investment in semiconductor

industry in Texas

EFC Gases & Advanced Materials, 83 new US semiconductor ecosystem
a US-based supplier of high-purity projects valued at $447-bn have been
electronic & speciality gases and critical announced, with more than $88-bn
materials, is planning to set up a man- earmarked for Texas, according to the
ufacturing facility in McGregor, Texas Semiconductor Industry Association
(USA) to make essential materials for (SIA).
semiconductor fabs. This follows the
recent acquisition of 195-acres of land EFC serves both the semiconductor
from the City of McGregor, the of EFC. “The new facility will play a and aerospace industries with plants
company informed. crucial role in onshoring essential mate- in Hatfield and Cherryville, Pennsyl-
rials for semiconductor fabs, aligning vania. The new McGregor site repre-
“As an integral part of the semicon- seamlessly with Texas’ thriving semi- sents a $210-mn expansion in domestic
ductor supply chain, we at EFC Gases & conductor industry,” he added. production capabilities. It will feature
Advanced Materials are excited to col- chemical synthesis operations for elec-
laborate with the City of McGregor EFC’s decision to invest in Texas tronic gases and deposition precursors,
and deeply value their support during aligns with the state’s robust semicon- specialty gas transfill facilities, a cen-
the early stages of this project,” stated ductor industry. Since the enactment of tral laboratory, a logistics hub, and an
Mr. Pavel Perlov, President and CEO the Chips and Science Act in 2020, over administration building.

TOUGH TIMES
Albemarle halts expansion activities in Australia

on weak lithium prices

American chemicals and lithium duction capacity will fall to 25-ktpa
major, Albemarle, has revealed plans from 50-ktpa currently as the sec-
to put the expansion of a manufacturing ond line is idled, Mr. Masters said.
plant in Australia on hold, as the com- Albemarle, with operations across
pany reviews costs due to headwinds the globe, had already slashed staff
from weak lithium prices. in January. Yet lithium prices have
continued to tumble, from an aver-
The impacted facility, the Kemerton age of $20 per kg at the end of last
plant in Western Australia, is where the year to a current range of roughly
company produces battery-grade lithium $12-15 per kg, the company said.
hydroxide for electric vehicles and of the two processing trains at its Prices have fallen as lithium capa-
other products. It will also idle a lithium Kemerton plant in Western Australia in city has come online while electric
processing line at the plant and focus “care and maintenance”, and will scrap vehicle growth has slowed.
production on a single line. construction of a planned third one. It
expects to take a charge of $900-mn to “The market is not improving.
The world’s largest lithium producer $1.1-bn in the third quarter as a result. It’s actually probably getting a little
said in a statement that it’s started a worse,” Mr. Masters told Reuters. “We
comprehensive review of its costs and The workforce at Kemerton will be are using the term ‘lower for longer’
operating structure. reduced by 40%, Albemarle’s CEO from a pricing perspective, and we
Mr. Kent Masters was quoted as saying by have to be able to operate through that
Albemarle said it is placing one CNBC in an interview. The plant’s pro- downturn.”

172 Chemical Weekly August 13, 2024

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