Chunbo

What Chunbo does

Chunbo (천보) is a South Korea-based KOSDAQ-listed (since 2019) precision chemical materials manufacturer operating five core product lines: display materials (LCD etchant additives including 5-Aminotetrazole where Chunbo holds global No. 1 production capacity, plus OLED materials), semiconductor materials (high-purity oxalic acid for MLCC production and ultra-high purity etching chemicals for sub-10nm processes), secondary battery materials (lithium salts and functional additives including LiFSI, LiPO2F2, FEC, LiBOB for lithium-ion battery electrolytes serving EV and ESS applications), pharmaceutical intermediates, and specialty chemicals. The company's underlying technology rests on proprietary capabilities in ultra-high purity chemical synthesis, sublimation purification, metal impurity removal, and scale-up from pilot to commercial production, supported by 10+ registered patents covering synthesis methods for lithium salts, 5-Aminotetrazole, iminodiacetic acid, adiponitrile, LiBOB, succinonitrile, and TMSB.

The business operates through a wholly-owned subsidiary structure including Chunbo Fine Chem Co., Ltd. (Chunbo Fine Chem / 천보정밀, the sole Korean producer of oxalic acid), Chunbo Advanced Materials (천보신소재, lithium salt production), Chunbo BLS (천보비엘에스, established June 2021 for LiFSI and FEC production), SOLEQ Investment (investment entity), and Chunbo China Corporation (sales office for the Chinese market). Manufacturing and R&D footprint spans five Korean locations across Chungcheongbuk-do (Chungju-si HQ with R&D, Eumseong-gun oxalic acid facility, Chungju-si lithium salt plant), Gyeonggi-do (Suwon-si R&D center), and Jeollabuk-do (Gunsan-si manufacturing). The company employs approximately 185 people at the parent level.

Chunbo generates revenue through B2B direct sales to major domestic and international manufacturers via a quote-based pricing model for bulk industrial chemical orders. There are no third-party distributors or resellers; all sales flow through a dedicated sales function. The go-to-market relies on enterprise field sales targeting manufacturers in display, semiconductor, secondary battery, and pharmaceutical sectors, supported by corporate website presence in Korean, English, and Chinese, and KOSDAQ-mandated quarterly IR disclosures. The customer base is anonymized but described as 'major' Korean and overseas manufacturers, with exports reaching Japan, Taiwan, and China. Government designations (World Class 300, World Class Materials/Parts/Equipment Company, INNO-BIZ Grade A) and certifications (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, IATF 16949, KOSHA-MS) anchor institutional buyer qualification.

Name

Chunbo

Legal name

주식회사 천보 (Chunbo Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://chunbochem.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Chunbo is a South Korean KOSDAQ-listed precision chemical materials manufacturer producing high-purity chemicals for display, semiconductor, lithium-ion battery, pharmaceutical, and specialty chemical applications, serving major B2B manufacturers domestically and internationally through wholly-owned subsidiaries and direct sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), All Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing (32599), Basic Chemical Manufacturing (3251)

SIC

Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810)

akta.pro primary industry

Electronic & High-Purity Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electroplating & Metallization Chemicals (Cu/Ni/Au plating, additives) (IMAEAKAK), Display & Optoelectronics Chemicals (OLED/LCD materials, polarizer chemicals) (IMAEAKAN)

Keywords

• Precision chemical materials
• Semiconductor chemicals
• Lithium battery electrolytes
• Display materials
• Pharmaceutical intermediates

Headquarters

HQ city

Chungju

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Chemical materials manufacturing and sales: Design, development, and manufacturing of precision chemical materials including display materials (LCD etchant additives, OLED materials), semiconductor materials, secondary battery materials (electrolytes, additives), pharmaceutical intermediates, and specialty chemicals. Products sold directly to major domestic and international manufacturers through B2B sales. Revenue generated from product sales with pricing based on quotes for bulk orders.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Chunbo designs, develops, and manufactures high-purity precision chemical materials for four major high-tech sectors: display manufacturing (LCD etchant additives including 5-Aminotetrazole and OLED materials), semiconductor manufacturing (high-purity oxalic acid for MLCC production and ultra-high-purity etching chemicals), secondary batteries (lithium salts such as LiFSI, LiPO2F2, FEC, LiBOB for lithium-ion battery electrolytes), and pharmaceutical intermediates. The company also produces specialty chemicals including tire additives and glass reinforcement materials.

Product overview

Chunbo is a comprehensive precision chemical materials company handling IT, BT, and GT sectors. The company operates five core product lines: (1) Display Application Materials supplying LCD etchant additives and OLED materials including 5-Aminotetrazole (the company's flagship product and global No. 1 in Cu etching additives); (2) Semiconductor Application Materials for microprocessing including high-purity oxalic acid for MLCC production; (3) Secondary Battery Materials producing lithium compounds and functional additives (LiFSI, LiPO2F2, FEC) for EV battery electrolytes; (4) Pharmaceutical Intermediates for domestic pharmaceutical companies; and (5) Specialty Chemicals including high-purity organic acids and glass reinforcement materials. The company also operates subsidiaries including Chunbo Fine Chem Co., Ltd. (oxalic acid production) and Chunbo Advanced Materials (lithium salt production).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 천보정밀 / Chunbo Fine Chem: Subsidiary producing oxalic acid - the only domestic producer in Korea. Supplies semiconductor manufacturers domestically and exports to Japan and Taiwan.
• 천보신소재 / Chunbo Advanced Materials
• 천보비엘에스 / Chunbo BLS
• 천보미래연구센터 / Chunbo Future R&D Center

Products and services

• Display Application Materials

Quantifiable outcome

• Global No.1 market position in 5-Aminotetrazole production
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Resonac (formerly Showa Denko): Japanese specialty chemical and electronic materials company producing semiconductor materials (CMP slurries, high-purity chemicals), battery materials, and display materials. Broad incumbent peer to Chunbo across multiple segments with much larger global footprint.
• SKC: Korean specialty materials and chemicals company with businesses in semiconductor materials (glass substrates, photoresists), battery copper foil, and specialty films. Broad incumbent with overlapping semiconductor and battery materials exposure to Chunbo's specialty chemicals portfolio.
• Mitsubishi Chemical Group: Major Japanese diversified chemical company with electronic materials, battery materials, display materials, and pharmaceutical intermediate businesses. Broad incumbent peer to Chunbo across virtually all of its product segments at significantly larger scale.
• LG Chem: Korea's largest chemical company with significant battery materials (cathode, electrolyte, additives), display materials, and specialty chemicals divisions. Broad incumbent competitor across multiple of Chunbo's segments (battery, display) but at vastly larger scale and broader portfolio.

Regional players

• Targray Technology International: Canadian-headquartered battery materials distributor and supplier of electrolyte additives and lithium salts. Regional peer with overlapping battery electrolyte materials portfolio but operating primarily in Western markets rather than directly competing in Asia.

Direct peers

• POSCO Future M: Korean battery materials manufacturer producing cathode active materials and precursors for EV lithium-ion batteries. Direct peer to Chunbo's secondary battery materials business (LiFSI, LiPO2F2 electrolyte additives) serving the same Korean battery cell customers (LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, SK On).
• Soulbrain Holdings: Korean specialty chemical company producing ultra-high-purity chemicals for semiconductor wafer processing (etchants, cleaning chemicals). Direct peer to Chunbo in the high-purity semiconductor and display chemicals space, supplying the same Korean chaebol fab customers.
• Stella Chemifa: Japanese manufacturer of ultra-high-purity hydrofluoric acid and other semiconductor-process chemicals. Closest analog to Chunbo's high-purity chemical materials business for semiconductor microprocessing, with overlapping customer base among Japanese and Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturers.
• Kanto Denka Kogyo: Japanese specialty chemicals producer focused on electronic-grade and high-purity chemicals for semiconductors and displays. Direct peer to Chunbo in display etching additives and semiconductor process chemicals, with comparable B2B model selling into Asian display/semiconductor OEMs.

Emerging players

• Do-Fluoride Chemicals: Chinese specialty chemical company that has emerged as a major global supplier of LiFSI and other lithium battery electrolyte salts. Emerging player with meaningful overlap to Chunbo's LiFSI/LiPO2F2 franchise, competing aggressively on cost with rapidly scaled capacity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chunbo