Chemicals companies are increasingly involved in semiconductor materials and processes. Alongside examples such as Ajinomoto and Kao, Nissan Chemical, Nippon Chemical Industrial, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, and Mitsui Chemicals are featured as 4 hidden semiconductor-related stocks.
More chemicals companies are becoming involved in semiconductor manufacturing, and such companies are known as hidden semiconductor-related stocks. A representative example is Ajinomoto, whose ABF insulating material has an almost 100% global share, while Kao has strengths in wafer and substrate cleaning materials based on its cleaning expertise. TOTO, a major sanitary ware manufacturer, makes electrostatic chucks, its main product, which use ceramic technology to hold wafers in place.
Nissan Chemical is reported to have the world's largest share of the EUV underlayer film market for semiconductor lithography. EUV lithography is essential for miniaturisation, and as underlayer films become thinner, yield and performance become increasingly important. The company is reportedly proposing ultra-thin coatings at the 1-nanometre level to customers.
Nippon Chemical Industrial produces raw materials for electronic materials and high-purity barium carbonate, and is strengthening its presence by supplying barium titanate raw materials for MLCCs. It announced an expansion of barium titanate production facilities in August 2026, scheduled to be implemented during fiscal 2027.
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical is expanding applications for BT materials, particularly in semiconductor packaging and substrate materials, with rising demand driven by the spread of AI data centres.
Mitsui Chemicals is said to have the world's largest share of the pellicle market and plans to launch a new product compatible with EUV lithography in 2027.