DuPont Continues to Invest in Taiwan

Taipei, Dec. 20, 2005 (CENS)--To cope with its parent's deployment in the Asia-Pacific region, customers' requirements and technical development, DuPont will continue to make investments in Taiwan by expanding production capacity of titanium dioxide and electronic materials next year, according to DuPont Taiwan president and CEO Tsai Hsien-tsung.

DuPont Taiwan is expected to spend over NT$1 billion (US$30.12 million at US$1:NT$33.2) on expanding the production of titanium dioxide in 2006.

Tsai noted his company has seen continued sales growth over the past few years. The company estimated it would see sales amount to US$500 million in 2005, with 30% of which to be contributed by electronic and information unit, followed by the unit of titanium dioxide, and the unit of engineering plastics and specialty chemical.

Tsai stated his parent company has regarded Taiwan as an important production base in the entire Asia-Pacific region. The titanium dioxide output of DuPont Taiwan is supplied to the domestic market, mainland China, Japan, South Korea, India, and some Southeast Asian nations.

DuPont Taiwan will invest NT$500 million (US$15.06 million) to expand production capacity of titanium dioxide at its Kunyin plant in Taoyuan County, northern Taiwan next year. After the expansion project is completed one year later, the plant will see annual output increase by 30% from present 130,000 metric tons. Sixty percent up to 70% of the total output after the expansion will be exported.

At present, DuPont is one of the world's leading suppliers of electronic materials. Currently DuPont Taiwan has two plants in Taiwan, with one each in Taoyuan and Hsinchu counties, northern Taiwan. Of them, the Taoyuan plant concentrates on the production of micro-electronic materials such as electronic resistors, capacitors, and opto-electronic components. The plant is undergoing production capacity slated for mass production sometime next year.

The Hsinchu plant currently concentrates on the production of substrates for flexible PCBs (printed circuit boards). DuPont Taiwan said it would launch a production expansion at the Hsinchu plant in 2006.

In addition to the production expansion in Taiwan, DuPont is also considering setting up a titanium dioxide plant in the mainland to meet the increased demand of the entire Asian market.