J&TC to invest $250M in South Korea glass substrate plant for AI chips
What's the deal? J&TC, a South Korean semiconductor parts maker, will invest about US$290.9M (roughly $250 million) to build a glass substrate production line in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province. The company signed an investment agreement with provincial and city officials at Gimcheon City Hall on September 21, and plans to hire 430 new employees.
What's it building? The plant will mass-produce through-glass via (TGV) substrates in the Gimcheon 1 General Industrial Complex from 2027 to 2030. TGV technology connects microelectrodes that vertically penetrate glass substrates, linking electrical signals on both sides through wiring.
Why now? Demand for high-performance semiconductors is rising with the growth of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. Glass substrates are drawing attention as a next-generation packaging material to meet that need.
What's the endgame? J&TC wants to establish Gimcheon as a next-generation production base and expand its related businesses. The company already holds core TGV process technologies including glass cutting, laser penetration, etching, and plating.
It operates three domestic sites and overseas businesses in Vietnam and China, making cover glass and connectors for mobile, vehicle, and wearable products. It is also mass-producing newer products such as TGV glass substrates and HDD glass platters.
"This investment agreement means that the TGV glass substrate business, a mid- to long-term new growth engine, is on a full-fledged commercialization trajectory based on advanced technology," said Jang Sang-wook, chairman of J&TC.
What it means for the region: Gimcheon secures a new production base for semiconductor and high-tech manufacturing. North Gyeongsang Province and Gimcheon City plan to provide administrative support to help the investment proceed.
"J&TC's investment in Gimcheon is significant in that it secures a next-generation glass substrate production base in North Gyeongsang Province that will lead the future of the AI and semiconductor industries," said Lee Chul-woo, governor of North Gyeongsang Province.
The signal: Glass substrates are emerging as a contested next-generation packaging material for AI-era chips, and J&TC is betting on early commercialisation to claim a foothold. The move also deepens South Korea's regional push to anchor advanced semiconductor manufacturing capacity at home.
Read more: mk.co.kr
Image credit: Oregon State University
