From fresh food preservation packaging to the battery efficiency of new energy vehicles, from precision semiconductor manufacturing to green energy innovation, vacuum technology has become a core force driving industrial upgrades. As the Chinese headquarters of the global leader in vacuum technology, ULVAC Group, located in Xinzhuang Town, Minhang District, Applied Materials Group (hereinafter referred to as “Applied Materials”) has built a comprehensive ecosystem that integrates R&D, intelligent manufacturing, and services, continuously empowering the high-quality development of China’s high-end manufacturing industry. Recently, Applied Materials has also announced some “new news”; let’s take a look→
What is “vacuum”?
The scientific definition of vacuum is quite broad: a gas space with a pressure lower than one standard atmosphere is referred to as a vacuum. As the density of gas molecules in the gaseous space decreases, the physical properties of the gas undergo significant changes. Based on this change in gas properties, various vacuum processes can be applied under different vacuum states to serve production and scientific research purposes. For example, by evacuating oxygen, a low-oxygen environment can be created to inhibit microbial activity, achieving food preservation; in the manufacturing of electronic products and new energy batteries, if the air is evacuated to a state thinner than outer space, vacuum coating technology can provide metal materials with a “protective armor,” creating a “sterile operating room.” This technology allows lithium metal in lithium batteries to be uniformly coated at the atomic level on the surface of the battery electrodes, forming an ultra-thin protective layer a thousand times thinner than a human hair, enabling faster charging and greater energy storage, while also allowing for the precise stacking of nanoscale circuits on silicon wafers in chip manufacturing, akin to LEGO blocks, achieving smaller mobile processors with faster computation speeds.
It is reported that Applied Materials primarily focuses on vacuum technology, providing vacuum equipment, components, materials, analytical instruments, and customer solutions. Its products are applied in various fields including electronic semiconductors, FPD, new energy, vacuum system supporting equipment, and advanced materials, and it collaborates with manufacturers of general industrial equipment in automotive, food, and pharmaceutical sectors, as well as partners in the semiconductor and electronic components industries.
Empowering Chinese Intelligent Manufacturing through Local Innovation
In the face of the global semiconductor industry landscape changes and the wave of new energy revolution, Applied Materials adheres to the dual-drive of “global technology + local wisdom,” focusing on technologies such as third-generation semiconductors, micro-displays, new energy, MEMS, advanced packaging, and magnetic sensing, establishing a local R&D hub at its Xinzhuang headquarters to accelerate the localization process of its R&D system.
Recently, Applied Materials launched two core devices for advanced semiconductor manufacturing at SEMICON China 2025: the new multi-chamber film deposition system ENTRON-EXX and the cluster-type advanced electronic manufacturing system uGmni-300. These products are designed with a core philosophy of “flexible efficiency and intelligent collaboration,” covering wafer manufacturing, compound semiconductors, and packaging in key areas, assisting customers in achieving technological breakthroughs and capacity upgrades.
Among them, the uGmni series is centered around a “unified transmission core,” creating a highly integrated electronic manufacturing platform for 12-inch wafers, achieving flexible combinations of different processes such as sputtering, etching, stripping, and CVD in the semiconductor chip manufacturing process, allowing for the formation of more complex circuit and chip structures. Additionally, uGmni can provide different substrate sizes and various docking solution models based on the actual process needs of customers, accelerating the conversion cycle from semiconductor R&D to mass production.
Deepening Industry Soil through Innovative Practices
“From the laboratory to the production line, from campus to community, we always resonate with the land of Xinzhuang.” According to Zhu Weigang, General Manager of Applied Materials Trading, in recent years, Applied Materials has deeply participated in technical public training, intelligent services, green factories, and other forms, deeply integrating corporate development with regional construction.
In response to the talent gap in the semiconductor industry, Applied Materials has launched the “Seedling Program” talent training system, planning to open 30 specialized positions for universities in the next three years, covering key areas such as equipment R&D, process optimization, and supply chain management, establishing a complete chain of “theory – practical training – employment” to deliver new talent with both international vision and local experience to the industry.In 2025, Applied Materials will also invest in establishing R&D centers, upgrading supply chains, and expanding into new energy sectors, actively promoting the dual-drive of “market + technology” to enhance the quality and efficiency of China’s high-end manufacturing industry.
As a strategic hub for ULVAC Group’s deep engagement in the Chinese market, Applied Materials’ China headquarters has been rooted in Xinzhuang for twenty years, leveraging regional industrial ecology and policy advantages to build a nationwide service network. In the future, Applied Materials will continue to use Xinzhuang as the innovation starting point, leveraging the “invisible power” of vacuum technology to support the “tangible future” of Chinese intelligent manufacturing.
Source:Beautiful Xinzhuang