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3M’s semiconductor coolant plant in Belgium has been closed indefinitely under tightened local environmental regulations. The plant accounts for 80 percent of
www.businesskorea.co.kr
3M’s semiconductor coolant plant in Belgium has been closed indefinitely under tightened local environmental regulations. The plant accounts for 80 percent of the global total semiconductor coolant output.
The measure was taken on March 8 and 3M sent an official notice to its clients on March 18. The clients include Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, TSMC and Intel. The coolant is essential for semiconductor etching.
According to industry sources, the clients can withstand for one to three months with their inventories. Unless the situation is solved within that period, the global manufacturing sector is likely to face a huge impact.
The Belgian government’s regulations are related to the emission of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are waterproof and resistant to heat, oil and water. Those are widely used in cosmetics and dental floss and may cause hormone disruption after accumulation in the body. These days, both the United States and the European Union are tightening their regulations in order to minimize the emission.
Finally, someone else does some independent investigation. Here's a BusinessInsider article. I think I found about a dozen other websites, all of which quoted the BusinessKorea article as their sole source.
Ming-Chi Kuo, a noted Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) analyst, said the impact on semiconductor supply from the shutdown of 3M Company's (NYSE: MMM)&n
markets.businessinsider.com
Apple Analyst Doesn't See 3M Coolant Plant Shutdown In Belgium Affecting Chip Supply
Ming-Chi Kuo, a noted Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) analyst, said the impact on semiconductor supply from the shutdown of 3M Company's (NYSE:MMM) coolant plant in Belgium “could be almost ignored.”
Kuo's comments came after media reports indicated that 3M's Belgium semiconductor coolant plant — which accounts for 80 percent of the global total semiconductor coolant output — has been closed indefinitely under tightened local environmental regulations to minimize the emission.
According to Kuo, “the coolant is mainly used for equipment maintenance or repair, and it doesn’t need to be replaced for daily production.”
Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co. Ltd. (NYSE:TSM), and Intel Inc. (NASDAQ:INTC) are some of the well-known clients of 3M Coolant.
Barron's isn't so sure, and quotes several chip companies (Intel, SK Hynix, and Micron) basically saying "there's nothing to worry about in the short term". Which makes you wonder.
www.businesskorea.co.kr
