Daegu's ISU Petasys to Build New Plant with 500 Billion Won Investment; Signs Agreement with Daegu City and Dalseong County

On November 2, Daegu City signed an investment agreement with ISU Petasys Co., Ltd., a global manufacturer of ultra-high-layer printed circuit boards, and Dalseong County at its Sanggyeok Office to build Plant No. 7 in the Daegu National Industrial Complex.

Under the agreement, ISU Petasys will invest 500 billion won to build a new plant on a 51,000-pyeong site in the Daegu National Industrial Complex. This is the largest investment commitment of the ninth popularly elected administration. The project is intended to proactively address rising demand for high-performance printed circuit boards (PCBs), driven by increased AI investment by global big tech companies, and to support the company’s continued growth.

Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho (center), ISU Petasys CEO Choi Chang-bok (right), and Dalseong County Mayor Choi Jae-hoon signed an MOU.

As artificial intelligence (AI) drives change across industries and competition among global big tech companies to invest in AI intensifies, demand is surging for high-performance infrastructure capable of processing large volumes of data quickly and reliably. As a result, high-specification printed circuit boards used in AI accelerators and network equipment are becoming increasingly important.

ISU Petasys, a global leader in the ultra-high-layer printed circuit board (MLB) sector, leads the global high-end market with its unrivaled technology and quality. Through its investment in Plant No. 7, the company plans to meet growing demand for high-specification products and further strengthen its competitiveness in global markets.

Once Plant No. 7 is completed and full-scale production begins, it is expected not only to expand production capacity but also to strengthen the company’s growth engine and help Daegu become a global hub for advanced manufacturing.

Founded in 1972 in Daegu’s Dalseong First Industrial Complex, ISU Petasys has grown alongside Daegu over many years and is a true “Daegu company.” Plants No. 1 through No. 5 are currently located in the Dalseong First Industrial Complex, while Plant No. 6 is in the Dalseong Second Industrial Complex. The company plans to invest about 480 billion won in Plant No. 5, which is scheduled for completion in 2028 and will then begin full-scale production. It has invested about 60 billion won in Plant No. 6 and is preparing to begin full-scale production following its completion. Plant No. 7 will also be built in Daegu.

To support this major investment, Daegu City is proactively expanding infrastructure in the Daegu National Industrial Complex. It will expand the complex’s wastewater treatment plant, doubling its capacity from 5,000 to 10,000 tonnes per day, and upgrade the treatment process to ease the burden on companies of treating high-concentration wastewater generated by production processes in advanced industries such as semiconductors and secondary batteries.

The city is pursuing improvements to its investment subsidy system to respond swiftly to investment demand in advanced industries and reflect companies’ actual investment conditions. Under the current system, companies cannot apply for subsidies for subsequent investments until the settlement of subsidies for prior investments is complete. This could constrain timely investment in response to changes in global markets.

Daegu City has therefore proposed a system change that would allow companies to apply for subsidies for subsequent investments, within the support limit per company, even before subsidies for prior investments have been settled. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is reportedly reviewing the proposal positively.

“The swift support provided through Daegu City’s one-stop investment support system played a major role in our investment decision,” said Choi Chang-bok, CEO of ISU Petasys. “With this investment, we will maintain world-class technology and quality in the ultra-high-layer printed circuit board market, strengthen our global market position, and contribute to revitalizing Daegu’s economy.”

“ISU Petasys’ investment will be an important opportunity to expand the production base for key semiconductor components in the AI era and enhance Daegu’s competitiveness in advanced manufacturing,” said Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.