Samco, a Japan-based semiconductor processing equipment manufacturer, held a completion ceremony for its second production center on June 17. The new production center, which began construction in January and is expected to begin operations during the fall of this year, boosts Samco's original shipment capacity of 6-7 billion yen per year to a total of 10-11 billion yen per year.

"We expect to see an increased demand for dry etching and CVD systems due to the IoT's rapid expansion, as well as anticipated growth in the medical and robotics industries," says Osamu Tsuji, Samco's president, chairman and CEO. "With the completion of our newest production center, Samco is prepared to meet those demands."

Containing a total land area of 1,260 square metres, Samco's second production center's total floor space is 1,130 square metres (which includes a 217.61 square-meter clean room),and will mainly be used to assemble and modify processing equipment for mass production. The600 million yen investment also included renovations for the existing production technology building.

The two-floor steel-framed building stands adjacent to Samco's headquarters in Kyoto, which has been described as the "Silicon Valley of Japan" due to its abundance of technology-based companies and manufacturers.

"Our second production center serves as a contribution to the local economy and is recognized by Kyoto City's program to promote the siting of companies within the city," says Tsuji.

The new production center's eco-friendly design utilizes LED lighting that employs the latest energy-saving technology, as well as an energy efficient air conditioner and large-scale solar panel that spans across the roof and provides a portion of the building's electricity (50 kW/h max.). Additionally, the roof is coated with a high-insulation paint.

"At the same time, the building also observes the city's construction regulations that aim to protect Kyoto's place as a historical and cultural treasure," says Tsuji.