AZ is a leading global producer and supplier of high quality, high-purity specialty chemical materials, operating in the high growth electronics market. Its materials are widely used in integrated circuits (“ICs”) and devices, flat panel displays (“FPDs”), light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) and photolithographic printing. AZ is a critical partner to the leading global electronic players because our chemical technology allows them to enhance existing processes and enables them to innovate new products. This is critically important in the “digital world” where there is increasing global demand and a drive towards smaller, faster, more powerful and less expensive technology. AZ operates in 10 countries, namely China, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, the USA, France and Germany. It also has corporate and support services offices in Luxembourg, the UK and Hong Kong, and employs over 1,000 people globally.
The AZ business was originally a part of Hoechst AG, the former German chemicals company. The name AZ (pronounced “A-Zee”) is taken from the photoreactive group name diazo, first developed around 1943 and used around 1950 to create photosensitive offset printing plates, and later adapted for use in ICs and FPDs. Ever since, AZ has been at the forefront of photoresist technology, selling the first broadband series photoresists under the AZ® trademark in 1962 and becoming the first supplier of photoresists to the FPD industry in the 1980’s.
AZ’s international expansion and sustained investment in R&D, together with its unique relationship with its customers, are amongst the key factors that have driven the business’ success. The time chart below highlights some key milestones in AZ’s journey to date.
AZ History
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1957: Develops first positive photoresists for use in the manufacture of ICs
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1967: Establishes presence in Taiwan through toll manufacturing of photoresists
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1971: Opens new manufacturing facility in the USA
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1986: Opens new manufacturing facility in Japan, supplying photoresist to the FPD industry
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1989: Starts production of FPD materials in South Korea
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1997: Taiwanese operation begins supply of EBR through a toll manufacturing arrangement
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1997: Clariant AG, a Swiss chemicals company, acquires Hoechst AG’s specialty chemicals operations, including the AZ business
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1998: Opens new manufacturing facility and functional testing centre in South Korea
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1999: Opens new manufacturing facility and functional testing centre in the USA
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2003: First commercial sales of dielectrics and pattern enhancement products, both used in the manufacturing of ICs
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2004: AZ acquired by The Carlyle Group and established as a standalone business for the first time.
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2004: Opens new manufacturing facility in Taiwan
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2005: Opens new manufacturing facility in China
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2007: Vestar Capital Partners invests in AZ
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2008: Invests in new dielectrics and FPD photoresist production facilities in Japan and Taiwan respectively
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2009: Moves large portion of FPD photoresist production from Japan to Taiwan
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2010: Admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange’s main market and included in the FTSE 250 index
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2011: Acquires polysilazanes coatings and resins business from Clariant AG, including the world’s only commercial organic polysilazane manufacturing plant, located in India
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2012: Opens new manufacturing facility in Taiwan