Toyota Tsusho has announced an investment in US-based ChEmpower, aiming to promote the adoption of new technology that eliminates abrasives from the CMP process and achieve environmentally responsible manufacturing through resource recovery from waste liquid.
Toyota Tsusho announced on 21 October 2026 that it would invest in ChEmpower, a US startup developing chemical materials for semiconductor manufacturing. The investment is planned to take the form of a SAFE (stock acquisition rights that promise future share acquisition). By adopting ChEmpower's abrasive-free CMP chemicals and dedicated polishing pads, Toyota Tsusho aims to improve yield and recover resources from waste liquid. Through the investment, Toyota Tsusho has indicated plans to supply the technology to semiconductor manufacturers in Japan.
ChEmpower's technology is said to improve process stability by suppressing surface scratches without using the abrasive particles that have traditionally been essential to CMP. In terms of waste liquid treatment, the absence of particle contamination is also said to make it easier to recover and reuse water and rare metals. Toyota Tsusho plans to promote the technology by leveraging its track record in handling semiconductor process chemicals.
The background is the need to balance growing demand for AI with reduced environmental impact, and Toyota Tsusho is accelerating efforts to build an integrated forward-and-reverse supply chain model covering the process from manufacturing through disposal. In 2025, the company advanced its efforts to realize a circular economy, including the acquisition of Radius Recycling, a major US recycling company, as a wholly owned subsidiary. It aims to build an ecosystem centered on abrasive-free technology.
The investment could enable the establishment of a green semiconductor supply chain that includes resource recovery from waste liquid and contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of Japan's domestic semiconductor supply chain. Toyota Tsusho plans to expand the ecosystem by putting into practice a business model that integrates technology with resource recovery.