Tokyo, Oct. 22 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Canon Inc. plans to increase semiconductor lithography equipment production in 2027 by up to twofold from this year, it has been learned. The move comes as chipmakers around the world are increasing investment for higher production on the back of rapidly growing semiconductor demand reflecting the spread of artificial intelligence technologies. Lithography equipment irradiates wafer and print circuits. While the global market for extreme ultraviolet lithography, used to make state-of the-art semiconductors, has been almost monopolized by Dutch chipmaking equipment maker ASML, Canon has the top share for i-line lithography systems, used to manufacture memory and power chips. Canon will mainly utilize its new plant completed in 2025 in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, eastern Japan, for the planned production boost. This year, the company is expected to sell 227 units while no production forecast has been released. In 2027, Canon plans to increase production by 1.5 to two times, informed sources said. “Investment plans are developing at chipmakers in not only Taiwan, South Korea and China but also other parts of the world,” Canon Senior Managing Director Hiroaki Takeishi, who is in charge of industrial machinery, said. Such moves “may continue until 2028,” he said, suggesting that growing investment at semiconductor makers will help increase demand for chipmaking devices. Large-scale investment plans are ongoing at chipmakers including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
