OCI has successfully returned to profitability in the second quarter of this year, driven by increased sales of petrochemical products and improvements in its semiconductor materials business.
On July 22, OCI announced that its consolidated revenue for the second quarter of 2026 reached 535 billion won, with an operating profit of 43.3 billion won. The rise in sales volume and prices of petrochemical products, along with improved performance in the semiconductor materials sector, significantly boosted profitability compared to the previous quarter.
Examining the performance by business segment, the basic chemicals division, which includes semiconductor materials, saw improved profitability due to price increases in certain items, recording sales of 209.5 billion won and an operating profit of 18.1 billion won. The end of scheduled maintenance contributed to a base effect, while increased demand for products like chlor-alkali (CA) and TDI led to higher sales volumes. Additionally, supply disruptions caused by the U.S.-Iran conflict resulted in increased prices for TDI, further enhancing performance.
The semiconductor materials division anticipates significant growth, supported by expanded sales of polysilicon for semiconductors and increased operating rates for key products like hydrogen peroxide.
In the carbon chemicals division, strong oil prices led to an expanded spread for BTX products, resulting in sales of 331.5 billion won and an operating profit of 31 billion won, maintaining solid performance in the second quarter. Looking ahead to the third quarter, a decrease in oil prices due to easing geopolitical risks is expected to stabilize the BTX product spread.
For the second half of the year, OCI plans to continue expanding investments in its new semiconductor materials business. The company aims to enhance its competitiveness in advanced materials used in next-generation sectors such as AI infrastructure and secure future growth drivers.
To this end, OCI is entering the wafer recycling business for semiconductor packaging, diversifying its semiconductor materials portfolio. By acquiring OCI Specialty, the company plans to leverage existing production infrastructure to improve investment efficiency in the recycling wafer business and expedite commercialization.
This new venture will involve collecting wafers used by semiconductor packaging customers, cleaning and recycling them, and supplying them back to customers. The facility is expected to be completed in the first half of 2027, with plans for additional expansion to meet future market demand after commercial sales begin.
OCI has also recently completed an expansion of conductive carbon black, a key material used in high-voltage cables, and began initial shipments to major customers in early July. This expansion has added an annual production capacity of 30,000 tons, establishing a supply system to meet the growing demand for high-voltage power grid construction.
Kim Yoo-shin, Vice Chairman of OCI, stated, "OCI has continued to achieve sustained profit growth in the second quarter, following the first quarter, thanks to improved market conditions for basic chemical products and growth in the semiconductor materials business. We will continue to enhance our business portfolio by expanding investments in high-value-added advanced materials and strengthen our growth foundation in line with the growth of the AI and semiconductor industries."
Meanwhile, OCI is accelerating the enhancement of its profit structure by increasing the proportion of semiconductor materials and advanced materials for AI and power infrastructure, moving away from its traditional focus on basic chemicals.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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