Asahi Kasei to expand Taiwan photoresist film capacity for AI chip packaging

Asahi Kasei’s capacity expansion in Taiwan, China is less about meeting AI packaging demand and more a strategic hedge against supply chain fragility. Technically, it accelerates adoption of high-resolution dry films in RDL/TSV processes, forcing Korean and Japanese substrate makers to upgrade front-end compatibility. Regulatory friction from U.S.-led export controls has already raised material traceability costs by over 15%; locating production in a geopolitically neutral zone mitigates licensing delays. Competitors like TOK and DuPont will likely counter with accelerated Southeast Asia investments or temporary price cuts to retain key OSAT clients. Over the next 18 months, as CoWoS and FOPLP scale, dry film photoresist will emerge as the second critical bottleneck after ABF substrates. Early movers with localized qualification will not just capture volume—they’ll shape process standards and pricing power.