(Daily Daegu Gyeongbuk News = Reporter Hwang Ji-hyun) Gimcheon City, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and JNTC have joined hands to produce TGV (Through Glass Via) glass substrates, which are drawing attention as core materials for next-generation semiconductors.

TGV (Through Glass Via): A technology that implements electrical connections inside a substrate by creating fine electrical connection passages penetrating the glass substrate vertically.
On September 21 at 10:00 AM, Gimcheon City signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Gyeongsangbuk-do and JNTC for the construction of a TGV glass substrate production plant at the Gimcheon City Hall Auditorium.

The signing ceremony was attended by about 30 officials, including Gimcheon Mayor Bae Nak-ho, Gyeongsangbuk-do Governor Lee Cheol-woo, JNTC Chairman Chang Sang-wook and executives, National Assembly Member Song Eon-seok, Gimcheon City Council Chairman Oh Se-gil, Gimcheon Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Ahn Yong-woo, as well as provincial and city council members.

TGV glass substrates are receiving attention as a next-generation substrate to realize high-performance semiconductors, as the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC) has led to a rapid increase in semiconductor computing power and data processing volume.

Under this agreement, JNTC plans to invest approximately 347 billion won from 2027 to 2030 to build a TGV glass substrate production plant in the Gimcheon 1st General Industrial Complex, hiring about 430 new employees.

Founded in 1996, JNTC is a company that has accumulated technological capabilities in glass material processing and precision machining by starting with the connector business and expanding its cover glass business into various fields such as mobile and automotive applications.

In particular, the company has secured differentiated technological competitiveness through the world's first development of 3D cover glass and automotive integrated 3D cover glass.

JNTC is expanding related technologies and production know-how in glass processing and laser precision machining accumulated from these existing businesses into the TGV glass substrate business.

This investment is expected to go beyond simple production facility expansion, serving as an important milestone for JNTC to expand its business area from the existing cover glass and connector-centered business structure into the AI and semiconductor fields and secure new growth engines.

JNTC plans to build a production base in the Gimcheon 1st General Industrial Complex and step-by-step expand production lines in line with future market growth.

This investment also holds significant meaning for Gimcheon City.

Gimcheon City has previously enhanced its industrial competitiveness based on various manufacturing foundations such as automobiles, electronic parts, and materials. With JNTC's investment as an opportunity, the city has laid a new foundation to expand its industrial ecosystem into high-tech industries linked with AI and semiconductors.

In particular, through this investment, positive effects on revitalizing the local economy are expected by creating new jobs and promoting the agglomeration of related companies and industries.

Gimcheon City plans to actively support administrative procedures such as factory occupancy, construction, and various permits and approvals so that JNTC's investment proceeds smoothly, and actively respond to corporate difficulties regarding infrastructure such as electricity, water supply, and wastewater.

Gimcheon Mayor Bae Nak-ho stated, "We will spare no administrative support together with Gyeongsangbuk-do so that JNTC's investment, having chosen Gimcheon as the production base for the TGV glass substrate business, proceeds as planned and leads to local job creation and economic revitalization. We will continue to actively attract high-tech companies with high future growth potential to enhance Gimcheon's industrial competitiveness."

JNTC Chairman Chang Sang-wook remarked, "This investment agreement signifies that our mid-to-long-term new growth engine, the TGV glass substrate business, has entered a full-fledged commercialization trajectory based on advanced technological prowess. We will secure our position as a leading high-tech material company in the global AI-centered semiconductor market with advanced technology, excellent quality, and cost competitiveness, and do our utmost to achieve win-win development with the Gimcheon local community."

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