Solus Advanced Materials receives approval from global leading GPU manufacturers in North America for its low signal loss copper foil for AI accelerators

Press Releases

May 09, 2024

High-end copper foil for AI accelerators approved by multiple North American GPU manufacturers … Mass production to start in the second half of the year
60% share of the field low signal loss copper foil market worldwide
Dominating even the copper foil for electric vehicle batteries market, with the world’s best copper foil for PCB substrate manufacturing technology

SEOUL, South Korea, May 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Solus Advanced Materials, a pioneer in global copper foil and battery copper foil manufacturing, has received approval for its copper foil for AI (Artificial Intelligence) accelerators from global big tech companies. A copper foil manufacturer that currently holds a 60% share of the global market for the low signal loss copper foil used in AI accelerators, Solus Advanced Materials is recognized for its world-leading technology.

Solus Advanced Materials announced on May 9 (EST) that it recently achieved approval for its low signal loss copper foil used in AI accelerators from multiple North American GPU manufacturers.

AI is a field that is currently in the spotlight for global industries. According to Deloitte, the AI semiconductor market is expected to grow to $ 400 billion in 2027, 10 times this year’s size of $ 40 billion. Within the field of AI, AI accelerators, which can quickly perform AI model operations, have emerged as the core of AI semiconductors, to the extent that they are globally regarded as a national strategic asset.

Recently, North American GPU companies have been announcing the release of their new AI accelerators, one after another. Intel announced its new AI accelerator ‘Gaudi 3’ last month, which it plans to bring to mass production from the second half of 2024. NVIDIA also unveiled its ‘B100’ and ‘B200’ AI chips based on the next-generation ‘Blackwell’ architecture in March, which are scheduled to be released in the second half of this year.

Semiconductor powerhouses in Asia have also entered the competition, expanding their semiconductor factories to prepare for the expansion of the AI accelerator market. Samsung Electronics, South Korea’s leading semiconductor company, plans to more than double its original investment in its Taylor semiconductor plant in Texas to $44 billion, while Taiwan’s TSMC plans to invest $65 billion in its Phoenix plant and to build a third plant by 2030.

Commenting on the news, a spokesperson for Solus Advanced Materials said, “We have newly entered the fast-growing AI acceleration market, with our copper foil products being approved by global GPU companies, one after another. We are expecting to see new growth engines in the blooming field of AI semiconductor as a result of our technology being recognized.”

The copper foil that was recently approved is a key material in AI accelerators, and acts as a ‘blood vessel’ that moves electric currents. It is attached to Copper Clad Laminate (CCL) for AI semiconductors, and for this, advanced technology is required to make the roughness of the copper foil surface uniform to minimize signal loss. Products made by Solus Advanced Materials are classified as high-end products with ‘HVLP (Hyper Very Low Profile)’ copper foil that minimizes signal loss by keeping the roughness of the surface below 0.6μm.

This copper foil manufacturing technology of Solus Advanced Materials originated from its subsidiary Circuit Foil Luxembourg (CFL). Established in 1960, CFL has been producing copper foil for PCB substrates for more than 60 years. The only existing copper foil manufacturer in Europe, CFL holds a 60% share of the global copper foil market. This is the result of accumulating know-how through many years of experience to create the world’s best technology, which also enabled CFL to develop the world’s first copper foil for electric vehicle batteries in 1996, and enter the battery copper foil market early. It is also being supplied for small secondary batteries.

Currently, battery copper foil is being produced at the Hungarian plant of Volta Energy Solutions, another subsidiary of Solus Advanced Materials. This plant is Europe’s first battery production plant, and is producing copper foil for electric vehicle batteries, with a capacity goal of 38,000 tons this year. In addition, the company is building a battery copper foil plant with an annual capacity of 25,000 tons in Quebec, Canada, to target the North American market, and plans to start mass production in the second half of next year. The company has secured a range of customers by signing mid- to long-term supply contracts with electric vehicle and battery manufacturers around the world, including global electric vehicle companies based in North America.

“High-end copper foil, approved by multiple North American GPU manufacturers, is expected to enter full-scale mass production in the second half of this year,” said a spokesperson for Solus Advanced Materials. “We expect that our HVLP copper foil will be able to expand the supply by securing a number of new customers in the future, as there are high technological barriers to market entry and we are already leading the global market.”

About Solus Advanced Materials

Solus Advanced Materials is a South Korea-based company listed on the Korean stock market (KOSPI). Solus Advanced Materials has a strong business presence globally, especially in copper foil for Printed Circuit Board and copper foil for Electric Vehicle batteries. Solus Advanced Materials’s history dates back to 1960, when Circuit Foil Luxembourg (CFL) was established in Luxembourg. CFL was the first company to develop copper foil for electric vehicle batteries (in 1996). Solus Advanced Materials acquired CFL in 2014 and entered the copper foil business based on CFL’s technological expertise and knowhow. Since 2014, Solus Advanced Materials has been expanding its business presence, establishing a new footprint in Europe with its battery copper foil plant, Volta Energy Solutions Hungary (VESH). Through this strategic movement, Solus Advanced Materials is managing and expanding its global presence further. With the rapid growth of the North American EV market, Solus Advanced Materials established Volta Energy Solutions Canada (VESC), located in Quebec, Canada, to expand its business presence in the market.

For more information, please visit the VES website at www.circuitfoil.com/ www.volta-energysolutions.com