3M’s Belgian semiconductor coolant plant was forced to shut down indefinitely due to stricter local environmental regulations, and coolant is critical to semiconductor etching technology, including TSMC (2330-TW)(TSM-US), UMC (2330-TW)(UMC-US), world advanced (5347-TW) have responded, and it is currently expected that there will be no impact on production.
According to foreign media reports, the Belgian government is tightening restrictions on the use of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and on March 8 ordered the shutdown of 3M’s local plant. Subsequently, 3M issued an official stop supply notice to customers on March 18, including Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, TSMC and Intel (INTC-US). Since the plant accounts for 80% of global semiconductor coolant production, it has also raised market concerns regarding affecting semiconductor plant production.
Industry insiders pointed out that coolant is a consumable material for equipment, not a process material, and its importance is relatively low. However, if the machine is running and frictional heat is generated, it needs to use coolant to cool down; and 3M coolant production capacity is not only in Belgium, but also in the United States. , it is expected that the supply will have little impact in the short term, but the price may be affected in the future.
TSMC said that the company is working closely with the supply chain and does not expect any impact at present; UMC said that there is no impact, and there are alternatives; the world’s advanced also said that the company has inventory to respond, and is also looking for multiple sources of supply.
