Samsung, SK Hynix ask Korean firm to boost chemicals supply amid Japanese curbs

SEOUL: South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have asked a local supplier to the boost supply of a key chipmaking chemical to guard against any production disruptions, an official at the supplier said on Tuesday.

The move by the two chipmakers to secure supplies of hydrogen fluoride comes after Japan said earlier this month that it would tighten curbs on exports of high-tech materials used in smartphone displays and chips to South Korea, threatening to disrupt the global supply of microchips consumed by the likes of Apple Inc and Huawei Technologies Co.

“They are checking almost every day to secure more supplies from us,” said the official at Foosung Co which provides hydrogen fluoride to the two chip giants, adding that the chipmakers offered to run the quality tests for its product.