DISCO Corporation, a semiconductor manufacturing equipment manufacturer (Headquarters: Ota-ku, Tokyo; President: Kazuma Sekiya), has completed construction of a new seismically isolated building (Building B) at Nagano Works Chino Plant (Chino City, Nagano). With completion, the total floor area of the Nagano Works Chino Plant, including the existing building, is approximately 7.5 times greater. This expansion enables further enhancement of the product supply system for future demand in semiconductors and electronic components.

Purpose of New Building Construction at Chino Plant (Building B)

Due to widespread use of high-performance smartphones and increase in base stations and data centers accompanying the start of 5G service, demand for semiconductors and electronic components, including memory, sensors, and condensers, is increasing worldwide. As a result, need is also rising for DISCO’s precision processing equipment* and precision processing tools** (blades/wheels) among device manufacturers, semiconductor manufacturing subcontractors, and electronic component manufacturers. Demand is expected to expand mid-to-long term as well, with future technologies such as IoT, AI, self-driving technology, and telemedicine as drivers of growth. Therefore, DISCO needed to further enhance its product supply system.

Enhancement of Production System

Production floors in the existing building (Building A) are operating at almost full capacity. With the construction of Building B, the total floor area of the entire Nagano Works Chino Plant is 7.5 times greater than before. This expansion enables flexibility in adapting to further increase in demand. In addition, construction of another new building (total floor area: approximately 67,800 m²) is in progress at Hiroshima Works Kuwabata Plant (Kure City, Hiroshima) and will be completed in August 2021.

Improvement of BCM*** Support

Currently, production of major products is conducted mainly at Hiroshima Works Kure Plant and Kuwabata Plant. However, the distance between the factories is approx. 10 km, which is a concern should disaster affect a wide area. Therefore, diversification of risk is a major topic. After operation starts in Building B at Nagano Works Chino Plant, the variety of items that Nagano Works can produce will increase, and DISCO will work toward establishing a system that can achieve production and shipment of the same products from both Hiroshima and Nagano Works. This production system will then enable the achievement of a stable production supply in the event of an emergency.

* Precision processing equipment: equipment used for cutting, grinding, and polishing silicon wafers and materials for semiconductors and electronic components.
** Precision processing tool: tools mounted on precision processing equipment that perform cutting, grinding, and polishing. They are consumables that must be replaced frequently.
*** BCM: Business Continuity Management

Recruitment Plans

Along with the establishment of the system introduced above, DISCO will be recruiting approximately 600 new employees. In order to ensure a smooth start for the newly recruited employees, a new dormitory building for single employees is being constructed on an adjacent area (dormitory opening: April 2021).

Overview of New Building (Building B) at Chino Plant

Name	Building B at Nagano Works Chino Plant, DISCO Corporation
Structure	10 stories / seismically isolated structure
Total floor space	Approx. 131,858 m² (current building: 20,293 m²)
Total investment	Approx. JPY 17.5 billion
Construction start	July 2019
Construction completion	January 2021
Operation start	April 2021 (tentative)

Reference:
Decision to Construct a New Building at Nagano Works Chino Plant (April 24, 2019)
Operations Started at Nagano Works Chino Plant (April 1, 2018)　
Establishment of Nagano Works Chino Plant (July 31, 2017)

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About DISCO
DISCO is a semiconductor equipment manufacturer that provides precision processing equipment, including dicing saws and grinders, and precision processing tools (blades and wheels) used for manufacturing semiconductors and electronic components. In addition to these products, as a result of pursuing optimal processing results for customers through the provision of the technology used with the equipment and tools, DISCO products and processing technologies have been widely adopted by device manufacturers and semiconductor subcontractors both domestically and internationally. For details, please visit the DISCO website at www.disco.co.jp.