Kang Wenbing of Dajing New Materials: Joining Forces with Jiuri New Materials to Strategically Develop the Photoresist Industry Chain

　　In the microelectronics industry, photoresist plays a crucial role. As a medium that transfers patterns via chemical reactions, photoresist—through processes such as exposure, development, and etching—enables the transfer of finely patterned designs from a photomask to the substrate being processed.

　　 On August 24, a company listed on the STAR Market Jiu Ri New Materials The company announced the acquisition of Xuzhou Dajing New Materials Technology Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Dajing New Materials”), bringing this previously little‑known enterprise and its general manager, Kang Wenbing, into the public spotlight. As a pioneer in China’s photoresist photosensitizer sector, where will Kang Wenbing lead Dajing New Materials? And what kind of “chemical reactions” might emerge from the merger between Dajing New Materials and Jiuri New Materials? With these questions in mind, our reporter interviewed Kang Wenbing.

　　According to Kang Wenbing, Jiuri New Materials will join forces with Dajing New Materials to establish a platform for key photoresist raw materials. Centered on photosensitizers, the two companies will collaborate with upstream and downstream partners to integrate the entire value chain around high-end photoresists and their supporting materials, fostering a healthy industrial ecosystem and ultimately achieving import substitution for photosensitizers, high-end photoresists, and their associated materials.

　　 Promote the domestic production of photoresists and photosensitizers.

　　Depending on the application, photoresists can be categorized into those for printed circuit boards, liquid crystal displays, semiconductors, and other uses. Among these, photoresists for printed circuit boards have relatively lower technological barriers, whereas semiconductor photoresists represent the highest level of photoresist technology. In the overall chip manufacturing process, lithography accounts for approximately 35% of the total cost.

　　Kang Wenbing explained that photoresist is manufactured through a complex, precision‑intensive process using raw materials with diverse properties—such as resins, photosensitizers, monomers, and additives. It features a unique chemical structure, stringent confidentiality requirements, and extremely high purity standards, imposing rigorous demands on manufacturers’ production technologies, processes, manufacturing environments, and evaluation systems. At present, the core technologies and products for semiconductor photoresist are largely monopolized by Japanese and U.S. companies, including Tokyo Ohka Kogyo, Sumitomo Chemical, and Dow Chemical.

　　“At present, China can domestically produce photoresists primarily for printed circuit boards, with a small portion also suitable for mid- to low-end applications in the panel industry. However, high‑end photoresists used in semiconductors remain heavily reliant on imports. Even for domestically produced mid‑ and low‑end photoresists, the key material—photoinitiator, which accounts for 60% of the cost—must still be imported from Japan and South Korea,” said Kang Wenbing.

　　 Dajing New Materials will fill a domestic gap.

　　At the end of 2014, Kang Wenbing, who had spent more than 20 years at Merck, the global leader in photoresist materials, returned to China to found Dajing New Materials. During his tenure at Merck, he held several key positions, including Head of R&D, Head of Quality Assurance, and Product Director. Kang stated that founding Dajing New Materials was driven both by confidence in market demand and by a desire to address China’s reliance on foreign suppliers for photosensitizers and photoresists—a critical bottleneck in the industry.

　　Dajing New Materials is currently investing in the construction of a thousand‑ton‑scale photoresist and associated reagent project, as well as a 600‑ton‑per‑year specialty photosensitizer project for microelectronic lithography; the latter is being undertaken by its subsidiary, Dajing Information. According to Kang Wenbing, the facilities for both projects have now been completed, and relevant equipment and production lines are being installed. The photosensitizer project is expected to enter commercial production by mid‑next year, while the photoresist and supporting reagents project is slated to commence operations before the end of 2021.

　　Kang Wenbing believes that the display‑panel industry represents the largest domestic demand for photosensitizers, with an average annual consumption of approximately 2,000 tons. Once Dajing Information reaches full production capacity, it is expected to capture 30% of the domestic market and help downstream companies cut costs by 15% to 30%. In addition to addressing the bottleneck imposed by foreign suppliers and reducing expenses, Dajing New Materials aims to fill gaps in the global photosensitizer market and begin exporting abroad.

　　 Joining forces with Jiuri New Materials to integrate the entire industry chain.

　　 On the journey of Kang Wenbing and Dajing New Materials as they pursue their dreams, Jiuri New Materials will play a pivotal role.

　　Jiu Ri New Materials is a leading enterprise in the field of fine chemical synthesis, and the largest producer and most comprehensive supplier of photoinitiators in China, with a market share of approximately 30% for this product. In recent years, while consolidating its core business, Jiu Ri New Materials has begun expanding into the electronic chemicals sector, investing in the research and development of chemically related materials for photoresists as well as other semiconductor‑grade electronic chemicals.

　　Kang Wenbing told reporters that few people know that another company controlled by Zhao Guofeng, Chairman of Jiuri New Materials—Zhangjiajie Jiurui Biotechnology Co., Ltd.—holds the proprietary technology for extracting and synthesizing one of the most critical natural raw materials used in photosensitizer production: gallnuts and their derivative, pyrogallic acid. To date, this extract remains impossible to synthesize artificially anywhere in the world; as a result, overseas manufacturers of photosensitizers and photoresists must import substantial quantities of pyrogallic acid from China each year. Meanwhile, Zhangjiajie Jiurui Biotechnology operates in Hunan Province, home to the nation’s largest gallnut‑producing region, and is among the world’s leading suppliers of pyrogallic acid.

　　For years, Jiurui Bio has exported gallnut extracts and derivatives overseas, where they are processed into photosensitizers and then resold to Chinese photoresist manufacturers. This left Zhao Guofeng determined: China must produce its own photosensitizers. Following the acquisition of Dajing New Materials, Jiuri New Materials and Dajing New Materials will join forces to integrate the entire upstream–downstream value chain of photosensitizer and photoresist production, fostering an efficient internal circulation, significantly reducing manufacturing costs, and providing domestic downstream companies with a stable supply chain.

　　Kang Wenbing believes that Dajing New Materials and Jiuri New Materials will complement each other technologically. Jiuri New Materials has long been deeply engaged in fine‑chemical synthesis, while the Dajing team brings extensive experience in electronic‑material R&D and production management. By combining their strengths, Jiuri New Materials will be able to translate its research achievements into marketable products more efficiently, enabling rapid industrialization and large‑scale production of photosensitizers; meanwhile, Dajing New Materials will be better positioned to expand into other lithography‑related materials in the future.

　　Looking ahead to the collaboration with Jiuri New Materials, Kang Wenbing expressed full confidence: “Both internationally and domestically, the photoinitiator and photoresist industries currently hold significant opportunities. Dajing New Materials will join forces with Jiuri New Materials to make a bold mark on this expansive stage.”