SKC to expand fluoride film production capacity

SEOUL, March 31 (Yonhap) -- SKC Ltd., a South Korean industrial film maker, said Thursday that it will increase its production capacity of polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) film to 4,000 tons by 2012 from the current 1,200 tons.
The PVF film is used for a key part of solar cells. DuPont Co. of the United States commercialized the PVF film under the Tedlar brand in 1961 and has monopolized its global market. SKC started mass production of the film in 2009.
SKC said in a statement that the expansion will help it grab a market share of 30 percent in the global PVF film market in mid-2012, putting it in second place following DuPont.
Last year, the global PVF film market amounted to 6,000 tons or 300 billion won (US$272 million), SKC said.
The company also said the PVF film market may face a supply shortage as it is growing at an average of 20 percent a year.
"We will make an active investment in the solar cell business in step with its alarming growth pace," SKC said.