R&D and Manufacturing Base, “IIM”

About IIM

The Rapidus IIM-1 innovative Integration for Manufacturing foundry is currently under construction in the "Bibi World" industrial park in Chitose City.

The design is in response to Rapidus Philosophy of respecting the environment and harmonizing with the natural beauty of Bibi World.

IIM will manufacture advanced logic semiconductors of 2 nanometers (nm)※₁ or less.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 1, 2023, and construction began the same month. The pilot line is scheduled to be operational in April 2025, and mass production is expected to begin in 2027.

※₁ Nanometer: A unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). 1 nanometer is one billionth (10^-9) of a meter, or one millionth of a millimeter.

Reasons for building the IIM in Chitose, Hokkaido

There are three reasons for choosing this location:

It has a large area that can accommodate business expansion.
It has an abundance of water, which is essential for semiconductor manufacturing, and electricity, including the potential for various renewable energy sources.
It is an attractive place that makes people want to visit and live there.

In the future, people from various semiconductor-related companies and research institutes in Japan and abroad are likely to gather around the IIM, which is surrounded by abundant nature, and become a driving force for creating innovative products and solutions.

Construction impacts and countermeasures

Kajima Corporation, which oversees construction. They have minimized the impact on the local environment through the following three advanced efforts.

1.Efforts to Reduce CO2 Emissions

The construction materials used here are environmentally friendly concrete CO2-SUICOM®*2.
In addition, regular training sessions on fuel-efficient driving will be held for truck drivers, hydraulic excavator operators, and others.

*2 CO2-SUICOM is an environmentally friendly concrete that absorbs CO2 as it hardens and locks it in, reducing CO2 emissions to zero or less.

2."4R Activities" to Reduce Construction Waste

Refuse Control
Eliminate unnecessary materials and conserve resources
- For reinforcing steel and formwork, bring pre-processed materials to the site to reduce waste.
- Unify plant piping.
- Interior panels and furring are finished and pre-cut to length before being shipped to the IIM.
- Simplify or eliminate packaging.
  Use reused packaging materials to transport materials.
Reduse Waste
Zero-Emission Manager provides in-depth guidance on waste separation
- Set up a "Zero Emission Yard" to sort waste efficiently.
- For waste where it is unclear how to separate it, we use the "Where to Put This? box.
Reuse
Thoroughly reuse and recycle building material containers and recyclable waste
- Reduce waste by reusing paint containers (paint cans, putty cans).
- We are working on initiatives such as using both sides of copy paper, reusing sandbags, and reusing cement bags as trash bags.
Recycling
(1) Recycling through thorough traceability
- We ensure thorough traceability by managing and recording waste removed from the site using a "manifest" and "recycling slip.”
(2) Recycling felled trees
- Timber from the site is chipped and recycled as a raw material for pulp production, creating new paper products and reducing waste.
- Contributes to the conservation of forest resources by effectively using harvested wood rather than disposing of it.

3.Environmental Protection Efforts

(1) Measures to Prevent Traffic Congestion and Accidents

Traffic congestion during rush hours is reduced by prohibiting commuter vehicles from entering the site.
Employees and workers are transported from Minami-Chitose Station or workers' housing (within the Izumisawa Industrial Park) to the site by a special large shuttle bus.
By adjusting the timing of material deliveries, we can reduce peak hours and ease the concentration of construction vehicles, thereby balancing the number of vehicles.
We have established optimal vehicle routes and deployed traffic controllers.
To avoid traffic jams, the routes of the vehicles involved will avoid right turns.

(2) Proper Treatment of Wastewater from Construction Sites

We will install unlined gutters and drainage ditches to prevent muddy water from flowing out during construction.
Proper disposal will be performed using a notch tank and pH neutralizer.
Keep oil spill prevention kits on hand.

Neutralizer

Oil Leak Prevention Kit

(3) Preventing Dust Spreading

Spray a dustproof material that is biodegradable and weatherproof.
Lay iron plates inside the venue.
Install a tire washer in front of the construction gate.

Grounding with dust-dispersing material

Tire washer in front of the gate

(4) Reduce Noise and Vibration

We use prefabricated materials manufactured in factories to reduce noise and vibration during on-site construction.
Use of low-noise and low-vibration heavy machinery.

Low-noise cranes

(5) Disclose construction information

Set up "digital signs" to visualize the construction status and widely disseminate construction information.

Weekly schedule

Digital dashboard called "Mimawari Denshobato"

(6) Rapid response and improvement through centralized support desk

Opinions from customers and local residents are centrally managed at a dedicated internal public relations desk, and we provide rapid follow-up through one-stop service.

One-stop response flow