en.Wedoany.com Reported - SK Group has decided to transfer semiconductor wafer manufacturer SK siltron to Doosan Group in a deal valued at approximately 2.3 trillion won. With SK siltron's annual sales reaching 2 trillion won, this sale will directly expand Doosan's presence in the semiconductor sector.
SK Group held a board meeting on the 31st and resolved to transfer SK siltron shares to Doosan, with the number of shares sold totaling 47.32 million 2,350 shares, amounting to 2.3 trillion won, with the scheduled disposal date set for January 31, 2027. SK explained the purpose of the disposal as "securing financial soundness and raising funds to ensure future growth momentum." SK had previously been pushing forward with plans to sell its 70.6% stake in SK siltron, and designated Doosan as the preferred negotiation partner last December. The industry initially expected a formal contract to be signed in the first half of this year, but the schedule was delayed due to changes in corporate value and other factors.
SK siltron is a semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturer that has maintained annual sales of 2 trillion won for three consecutive years as of last year. By comparison, Doosan's Electronic BG (Business Group) recorded annual sales of approximately 1.8 trillion won last year; Doosan Tesna, an outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) company acquired by Doosan in March 2022, posted sales of 303.9 billion won last year. SK siltron's scale is significantly larger than both of these businesses.
SK siltron's business performance has recently shown signs of improvement. As global big tech companies increase investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, demand for high-performance semiconductors has risen, and wafer shipments have continued to expand. Its U.S.-based silicon carbide (SiC) wafer production subsidiary "SK siltron CSS" has been in a loss-making state and is currently undergoing liquidation proceedings. According to SEMI's latest report, global silicon wafer shipments in the second quarter of this year reached 3.573 billion square inches, up 7.4% year-on-year and 9.1% quarter-on-quarter.
However, the industry remains cautious about the synergies of this acquisition. Doosan Electronic BG's core business is copper clad laminate (CCL), a semiconductor substrate material, while Doosan Tesna handles packaging and testing processes for semiconductors manufactured by foundries; additionally, Doosan holds a 5.91% stake in design service company Semifive and had once pursued its acquisition. The direct points of connection between these businesses and SK siltron's core wafer manufacturing are limited. The wafer business is typically more closely linked to raw material silicon, ingot (columnar) growth and other processing steps, or to device companies that manufacture semiconductors using wafers.
A source in the semiconductor industry said, "It is understood that Doosan Group prioritized expanding absolute sales across its three pillars—energy, construction equipment, and semiconductors—and therefore showed interest in acquiring SK siltron," adding, "This is a structure where synergies between affiliates and investment companies cannot be expected."
