Japan’s Fujifilm is investing approximately Rs 800 crore to establish a semiconductor materials plant in the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) in Gujarat, marking a significant expansion into India’s emerging chip manufacturing sector. The company announced the phased investment alongside a strategic memorandum of understanding with Tata Electronics, aimed at accelerating the development of India’s semiconductor materials ecosystem around Tata’s upcoming fab in Dholera.
Technology Transfer and Local Partnerships
Fujifilm is actively exploring technology transfer opportunities with Indian companies, particularly in semiconductor quality control capabilities, according to Tetsuya Iwasaki, general manager of the electronic materials business division. Speaking at Semicon, Iwasaki emphasized that semiconductor materials represent a key growth driver for the group, and the company intends to share its manufacturing process knowledge with local partners as a distinct business vertical.
“The purity required for semiconductor manufacturing is very high, and with material suppliers, the quality level differs,” Iwasaki noted. “We are going to look at providing local Indian chemical manufacturers with the technology and quality control capabilities to ensure stable environments and stringent quality standards that are required by the industry.”
Expansion Plans and Workforce Growth
Fujifilm’s CEO, Teiichi Goto, recently met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reaffirm the company’s commitment to building its semiconductor business in India. Iwasaki stated that semiconductors will be the driving force of Fujifilm’s India growth, adding that the company views India not merely as a market for material production but as a base to develop production and business capabilities from the ground up.
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Currently employing around 10 people in India, Fujifilm expects this number to grow to 70 within the next five years. The company is already supported by over 50 personnel from its Japanese headquarters. The first phase of the project is slated for completion by 2028, with some products already certified by Tata Electronics for this initial stage.
R&D Development and Ecosystem Support
The second phase of Fujifilm’s expansion will introduce its expertise in CMP (chemical mechanical planarization) slurries to India, while continuously assessing the needs of other manufacturers in the region. CMP slurries are specialized liquid mixtures containing nano-sized abrasive particles and reactive chemicals used to flatten and polish semiconductor wafers during chip manufacturing.
In addition to establishing the manufacturing facility, Fujifilm is considering setting up an R&D centre to support its operations in India and provide important skills to local talent. “Indian customers have requested us to develop the application level as a first step (setting up a plant),” Iwasaki explained. “The second step would be the R&D centre. It is necessary for our customers to speed up their development, and we have such a setup in Korea, Taiwan, Japan and even in the US.”
Fujifilm has identified space within its facility for a laboratory and R&D operations, which will support material development and contribute to the broader semiconductor ecosystem in India.
