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and minimizing waste are increasingly central to the industry's growth strategy. As a result, sustainability has become more than a respon- sibility. It has become a driver of innovation. In APAC, the electronics industry is setting a new standard for green manufacturing. New Expansion to Capitalize on Opportunities in Southeast Asia Much like the semiconductor industry, the package substrate and printed circuit board industries are increasingly demanding smaller features, higher density, better performance, and greater manufacturing capacity. e PCB man- ufacturing landscape in Southeast Asia is under- going a significant shi. While cost efficiency has traditionally been a key driver of manufacturing relocation, the market shi to Southeast Asia, and ailand in particular, is being driven pri- marily by supply chain diversification. MKS Instruments has evolved from a sub- system supplier to the semiconductor industry to a global provider of enabling technologies, expanding its semiconductor solution offering into the advanced electronics and specialty mar- kets, having most recently acquired Atotech, a wet chemical supplier. "Our enabling technologies are essential to the development of next-generation electronic devices, from semiconductors to advanced printed circuit boards," explains Dr. John Lee, president and CEO of MKS Instruments. "MKS currently has 14 manufacturing facilities in Asia, including in China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan, in addition to R&D and engineering centers, tech centers, and sales and service offices. We are proud that, today, more than 85% of the semiconductor front- end applications and more than 70% of the critical steps in PCB and package substrate manufacturing use MKS products." MKS will expand its footprint in Southeast Asia with investments in Penang, Malaysia, in a new super center factory to support wafer fabrication equipment manufacturing in the region and globally, as well as a new techni- cal center and manufacturing facility in Samut Prakan, ailand. ese expansions are impor- tant milestones for the company as it contin- ues to expand its capabilities as a leader across a wide range of semiconductor manufactur- ing applications in APAC, and specifically the growing Southeastern Asia region, to meet the skyrocketing demand for AI, high-perfor- mance computing, automotive technologies, and IIoT solutions. Dr. Lee underscores the company's global commitment to its customers. "We will con- tinue to invest in chemical production facili- ties as needed to support our customers where they are," he says. "Our deep commitment to APAC is more than just strategic; it is the foun- dation of our future." As semiconductor packaging and heteroge- neous integration technologies become more advanced, the need for innovation in PCB and package substrate technology is accelerating. "MKS has a well-established and industry- leading presence in APAC, with sophis- ticated equipment and process expertise and highly skilled teams of experts," Lee says. "ese investments in Asia reflect MKS' commitment to supporting the growth of the semiconduc- tor, package substrate, and PCB markets to drive innovation and to be a key player in the future of technology. We look forward to continuing to invest in Asia's bright future." PCB007 Daniel Schmidt is director of global marketing, communication, and technology training at Atotech, an MKS Brand. 50 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2025 Dr. John Lee