乐天精细化学Q2营业利润同比增长611%，并拟扩建TMAC产能16%

Lotte Fine Chemical (004000.KS) said on the 30th that its operating profit rose more than 600%, driven by factors including a boom in the semiconductor industry, one of its key downstream sectors.
Lotte Fine Chemical reported second-quarter revenue of 586.3 billion won and operating profit of 61.9 billion won, according to a regulatory filing the same day. The figures represent increases of 38.1% and 611%, respectively, from a year earlier.
The company cited several drivers behind the improved earnings, including an overall improvement in market conditions from higher international prices of major products, and expanded sales of its specialty businesses such as food and pharmaceutical cellulose and tetramethylammonium chloride (TMAC), a semiconductor material.
Cellulose is a material used in plant-based pharmaceutical capsules and pill coatings. Growing interest in health and wellness has recently expanded the related market, and sales from an expanded plant began to increase in earnest from the second quarter. The company had previously expanded a food and pharmaceutical cellulose plant with a capacity of 6,000 tons in Incheon last year.
TMAC sales volume also increased amid rising demand in the semiconductor market, a key downstream sector. TMAC is a core raw material for tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), a developing solution used in the circuit development processes for semiconductors and displays.
On the same day, Lotte Fine Chemical said it will invest 13 billion won to expand its TMAC plant. The company plans to increase its TMAC production capacity, currently the world's largest at 55,000 tons per year, to 64,000 tons by the second quarter of 2028, an expansion of about 16%.
The company is also expanding its ammonia marine fuel supply (bunkering) business. It is strengthening its eco-friendly business areas by leveraging the infrastructure of Asia's largest ammonia terminal, located near Ulsan Port. In April, Lotte Fine Chemical became the first in the world to commercially supply green ammonia as a marine fuel. This year, the company plans to supply about 3,000 tons of fuel to ammonia-powered vessels.
"We decided on the TMAC expansion investment to proactively respond to growing semiconductor demand, and we will continue to strengthen the competitiveness of our eco-friendly business by expanding the ammonia marine fuel business," said Jung Seung-won, CEO of Lotte Fine Chemical.