Japanese fund launches offer to buy key player in semiconductor sector

A semi-public Japanese fund has launched an offer to buy JSR Corp., a key player in the semiconductor sector, for about US$6.2 billion, the company announced Monday.

The JSR company said in a statement that its board is in favor of the deal, which is expected to close in December, although regulatory processes make it difficult to set a timetable.

“With JIC, we aspire to be a catalyst for reform in the semiconductor materials sector and to enhance biopharmaceutical capabilities.” both nationally and globally, said the company’s CEO, Eric Johnson.

JIC is an investment fund founded in 2018, with the government as the main partner, with the participation of the private sector.

This offer comes as Japan and various governments seek to stabilize the supply chain for chips, which are a core commodity for the global economy.

The JSR company, which was founded in 1957, is a world leader in the market for photoresists, which are used in the manufacture of semiconductors.

Globally, the semiconductor sector is projected to become a $1 trillion industry by 2030.

But supply disruptions from the pandemic and tensions with China have fueled concerns about risks in the distribution chain.

JSR controls about 30% of the global market for photosensitive resins, according to the Bloomberg agency.

Source: AFP