Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) Develops High-Performance Insulating Ink for LCD Panels.

Tokyo, Japan, Nov 28, 2006 - (JCN Newswire) - Nippon Polytech Corporation (NPC), a consolidated subsidiary of Showa Denko  K.K. (SDK), will launch next month a new high-performance electrical insulating ink for the manufacture of electronic parts based on the chip-on-film (COF) technology. These electronic parts - flexible components holding IC chips - are used to send electrical signals to liquid crystal display (LCD) panels for TVs and PCs to produce images.

NPC's new high-performance electrical insulating ink is made using SDK's newly developed urethane-based thermoset resin.u@u@After being painted on the surface of the COF component, the ink becomes an electrical insulating film that prevents short-circuit-induced malfunctioning.

As finer electronic circuits are needed to achieve higher image quality and lower cost, demand is growing for inks with higher electrical insulating property. The new ink to be launched by NPC will drastically improve electrical insulation for the current 30-um-pitch* COF component. The ink can also be used for future production of 25-um-pitch finer COF component, contributing to further improvement in image quality and longer life of LCD panels.

Due to the growth of the LCD panel TV market, production of COF component is expected to increase at the rate of 20% a year. Thus, demand for high-performance electrical insulating ink is forecast to grow substantially. NPC is planning to increase annual sales of LCD-related materials to JPY 3 billion by 2010.

* 30-um-pitch/30-micrometer-pitch

About Nippon Polytech Corporation

Headquartered in Tokyo, Nippon Polytech Corporation was established in July 1989 as a consolidated subsidiary of Showa Denko K.K. The Company is involved in the development, production and sale of resist ink for flexible electronic circuit boards. Annual sales of JPY 800 million were registered in the term ended December 31, 2005.

About Showa Denko K.K.

Showa Denko K.K. ('SDK'; TSE: 4004, US: SHWDF) is a major manufacturer and marketer of chemical products serving a wide range of fields ranging from heavy industry to the electronic and computer industries. SDK makes petrochemicals (ethylene, propylene), aluminum products (ingots, rods), electronic equipment (hard disks for computers) and inorganic materials (ceramics, carbons). The company has overseas operations and a joint venture with Netherlands-based Montell and Nippon Petrochemicals to make and market polypropylenes. In March 2001, SDK merged with Showa Denko Aluminum Corporation to strengthen the high-value-added fabricated aluminum products operations, and is today developing next-generation optical communications-use wafers. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp.

Source: Showa Denko K.K.

Contact:

Showa Denko K.K.
Nobuhiro Kato
[e-mail]
[phone]

Nippon Polytech
Marketing Dept.
[phone]

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