3M Completes Expansion in Asia

3M said it has completed an expansion in Asia that will boost its production capacity of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pad conditioners.

St. Paul, Minn.-based 3M said it has expanded its existing factory in Woodlands, Singapore, and opened a new manufacturing plant in YangMei, Taiwan. Both facilities make pad conditioners.

By virtue of the expansion projects, 3M said it is the only pad-conditioner manufacturer with operations in three global locations, the third being its facility in Cottage Grove, Minn.

"We increased our capacity in Singapore earlier this year and our Taiwan factory is ready for high-volume production," said Charles Gould, global marketing development manager for 3M. "With multiple manufacturing locations, we offer the semiconductor industry a very strong continuity plan for supplying 3M pad conditioners."

3M's pad conditioners for conventional CMP slurry processes and unique fixed abrasives "deliver superior planarization, a more stable process and low defect rates," according to the company.