Showa Denko to Increase Ultra Bright Red/Yellow LED Capacity

Tokyo, Japan, Dec 5, 2006 - (JCN Newswire) - Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) has decided to increase its capacity for producing aluminum-gallium-indium-phosphide (AlGaInP) ultra bright LED chips to meet growing demand for use in LCD backlighting and automotive parts. Specifically, the production capacity will be increased from 30 million units a month at present to 100 million units a month. Expansion work will start in February 2007 for completion in the third quarter of the same year.

SDK will invest approximately JPY 1.5 billion in this project, centering on expansions of a metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) furnace for the production of epitaxial wafers, chip-making facilities, and the clean room.