New Singapore Plant Expands Global Manufacturing of DuPont™ Vespel® Parts for Semiconductor Production

DuPont Engineering Polymers today announced that production of its high-growth DuPont™ Vespel® parts and shapes has begun at its newest facility in Singapore.

“DuPont invested in this expanded capacity in order to support our customers’ growth and market needs,” said Y.K. Chen, global semiconductor industry marketing manager for Vespel®. “The Singapore facility joins four other Vespel® part plants that are strategically located so that we can ensure rapid delivery of high-quality parts for semiconductor manufacturing anywhere in the world. It underscores the Vespel® business’s ability to meet customers’ needs by delivering big science, part by part, faster than ever before,” Chen added.

Other production facilities for Vespel® parts and shapes are located in Utsunomiya, Japan; Mechelen, Belgium; and Newark, Del., and Valley View, Ohio, in the United States. Polyimide resin for Vespel® parts is made at a plant in Circleville, Ohio.

Vespel® parts are proving their value across the semiconductor, flat panel display and electronics market places. Their unmatched combination of super cleanliness, low outgassing, low friction, wear resistance and the resistance to aggressive process fluids and high temperature have fueled their growing use in etching, cleaning, sputtering, CMP and handling for wafer and glass substrates. Proven application examples include clamping rings, chamber liners, insulator rings, retainer rings, end effectors and conductive pads. For more information, please visit http://vespel.dupont.com

The Singapore plant incorporates the latest advances in process technology and lean manufacturing techniques. “We have taken care to ensure the new plant’s manufacturing excellence so that its Vespel® parts will meet or exceed customers’ expectations,” Chen added. The facility draws on the best practices employed at other Vespel® plants. Its process technicians received intensive training at Vespel® production facilities in the United States and Japan as well as on-site in Singapore for a year prior to the plant opening. In addition, manufacturing, quality and supply chain management includes a cadre of experienced people from other DuPont facilities in Asia.