9 June 2025

Materion Corporation, a global leader in advanced materials, has taken a significant step to expand its presence in Asia with the acquisition of a high-tech manufacturing facility for tantalum sputtering targets in Dangjin City, South Korea. The assets were purchased from Konasol, a Korean producer serving the semiconductor and adjacent technology markets. The new site—equipped with specialized, state-of-the-art equipment—will enable Materion to serve its semiconductor customers in the Asia-Pacific region more effectively and efficiently.

Headquartered in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, Materion employs more than 3,000 people and serves customers across over 60 countries. The company is a top-tier provider of advanced electronic materials, including a leading position in deposition materials used in semiconductor fabrication. These materials are essential in manufacturing integrated circuits and advanced chips that power everything from smartphones to data centers.

“The recent acquisition in Korea serves to strengthen that position and gives us geographic proximity to many of our customers in the Asia Pacific region,” said Uli Blankenstein, Vice President of Strategy & Execution for Materion’s Electronic Materials business, in an exclusive interview with MoveTheNeedle.news.

Why Tantalum—and Why Now?

Tantalum is a rare, corrosion-resistant metal with high thermal and electrical conductivity, making it ideal for sputtering targets—key components used in physical vapour deposition (PVD) processes. These targets are used to create ultra-thin conductive or insulating layers in semiconductor wafers. As chip designs become smaller and more complex, the precision and reliability of materials like tantalum grow increasingly critical.

The Asia-Pacific region accounts for the vast majority of global semiconductor manufacturing, with industry giants located in South Korea, Taiwan, China, and Japan. According to SEMI, over 60% of new fab construction and semiconductor production is now concentrated in Asia. South Korea alone—home to companies like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix—is a global powerhouse in memory chip manufacturing.

“Asia has been an important end market for us for many years,” Blankenstein noted. “We’ve always had these customers in mind and now we can collaborate with them more easily.”

With this acquisition, Materion is positioning itself closer to the heart of global semiconductor production. The new facility offers a dual benefit: logistical proximity to Asian customers and new production capabilities that further expand the company’s value proposition in the region.

“While the facility in South Korea enhances Materion’s ability to serve customers in Asia-Pacific more directly or rapidly, just as important is the fact that we’ve added capabilities that we didn't have before in Asia,” Blankenstein emphasized. “Together these things can only improve our connection with customers in the region.”

Integrating Global Operations

The newly acquired Korean facility is set to be fully integrated into Materion’s global manufacturing network. Initially, it will act as a finishing site for semi-finished tantalum products manufactured at Materion’s Newton, Massachusetts, plant. Over time, it may support additional production from other Materion facilities as well, enabling greater supply chain flexibility and shorter lead times for regional customers.

“As a first step, it will be a site where we finish products manufactured in our Newton, Massachusetts, facility—and, in time, products from other Materion facilities, as well,” said Blankenstein.

This move underscores Materion’s broader strategy: building a globally distributed, regionally responsive manufacturing footprint. By enhancing their local presence in Asia, Materion strengthens its ability to deliver mission-critical materials faster, with tighter customer alignment and improved supply chain resilience.