Rising competition and strategic funding fuel Absolics’ aim to lead glass substrate manufacturing, while Samsung and LG Innotek quietly gear up for their own semiconductor race.
Absolics, a subsidiary of South Korea’s SKC, is intensifying efforts to commercialise glass substrates for the semiconductor industry. According to a report by ETNews, the company has increased production output in anticipation of entering mass manufacturing for its customers.
To complete its preparations for full-scale production, Absolics is targeting the end of 2025. Prototype manufacturing is reportedly, already underway at its facility in Georgia, United States, which has an annual capacity of 12,000 square metres.
The report predicted that if successful, Absolics is positioned to become the first company to commercialise this emerging technology.
The company is also rumoured to be engaged in advanced discussions with major players such as AMD and Amazon Web Services. It is currently nearing the pre-qualification phase, during which key performance and quality standards must be validated before formal supply arrangements can proceed.
To support its ramp-up, Absolics plans to increase procurement of materials and components related to glass substrate processing by over 60 per cent in the second half of the year. The company is also expected to place additional equipment orders and make further investments before the year concludes.
Financially, Absolics secured a combination of debt and subsidy-based funding during the first half of 2025. In the first quarter, the firm raised $ 50 million through borrowing. In May, it received a $ 40 million initial subsidy payment under the United States CHIPS Act.
A rights offering involving its primary shareholders, SKC and Applied Materials, is also in preparation to support future capital needs.
Meanwhile, other South Korean electronics manufacturers are joining the race. Samsung has reportedly launched a pilot line at its Sejong facility and aims to adopt glass interposers in its advanced chips by 2028. LG Innotek is constructing a pilot line at its Gumi plant, with prototype production expected to begin by the end of the year.
