EMD Performance Materials Boosts Investments, Changes Name to EMD Electronics

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EMD Performance Materials today announced an expanded focus on the US electronics business and a new name in the US: EMD Electronics. EMD Electronics, a business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, includes a broad portfolio of semiconductor materials, semiconductor delivery systems and services, display, and surface solutions. The Electronics business globally employs more than 7,400 – with a third of employees in the US across 29 sites, with plans for continued growth in planarization and thin films organizations following recent investments. More information about the Electronics business can be found here.

Additionally, the company announced the relocation of the Silicon Valley Innovation Hub from Menlo Park to Intermolecular's San Jose facilities, combining Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany's innovation efforts in the Bay area with Intermolecular's services for materials and electronics, creating a unique space that empowers collaboration with startups. This announcement follows the $22 million investment at the EMD Electronics site in Tempe, Arizona for its R&D and production for semiconductor materials announced in February.

"Our name change and investment in these centers demonstrate our commitment to continued innovation in electronics and supporting US customers' requirements for capitalizing on growing opportunities driven by digital transformations and data-driven electronics," said Jeff White, President of EMD Electronics. "Our customers are working on cutting-edge technologies and products that range from better immersive displays and surfaces in cars and consumer electronics to how to move neuromorphic and quantum computing to the next level. Our combined expertise and portfolio in display and surface innovations, semiconductor materials and the safe delivery and storage of speciality chemicals and gases will enable new discoveries and novel products not even imagined yet."

As the company behind the companies advancing digital living, the Electronics business sector is involved in all major technology trends – be it 5G, Big Data, autonomous driving, artificial intelligence, or the Internet of Things. Thanks to these and other megatrends, the demand for ever smaller, faster and more energy-efficient electronics is continuously growing. Sample innovations enabled by EMD Electronics include:

• Patterning, deposition and spin-on dielectrics materials to make 3D NAND possible
• DSA – revolutionary way of building microchips of the future
• OLED for brighter, thinner, free-form displays
• Liquid crystals for electronic steerable antennas to bring connectivity to places currently not reachable
• eyerise ® liquid crystal for greener windows and innovative building architecture

These technologies and innovations are being implemented across a diverse set of customers including larger companies and start-up companies. To enable new inventions for start-ups, EMD Electronics has launched a program for early-stage and growth companies looking to advance their technologies in the areas of displays, semiconductor materials, neuromorphic computing, AI enabled materials development and smart manufacturing by applying for the EvoNexus MarketLink Program by March 12.