The importance of materials is growing in advanced industries, from semiconductors—often called the "rice of high-tech industries"—to aerospace, where components must withstand extreme conditions. The key challenge in materials supply chains has shifted beyond simply providing quality materials to delivering customized products that meet specific client requirements. This has made the ability to develop novel materials through new chemical reactions—regardless of whether they involve ceramics, metals, or plastics—a critical capability in the advanced materials sector. The traditional chemical industry strategy of maximizing revenue through commodity materials may no longer be viable.
In this environment, Austrian advanced materials company RHP Technology has adopted a "high-mix, low-volume" production strategy to address market demands and expand its presence in global supply chains.
"Our unique competitive advantage is our ability to handle diverse material categories simultaneously," said Erich Neubauer, CEO of RHP Technology, in an interview with Seoul Economic Daily at COEX in Gangnam, Seoul, on the 18th during his recent visit to Korea. "Instead of mass-producing commodity products, we maintain a broad product lineup spanning ceramics, metals, composites, and nanomaterials, developing products tailored to customer needs."
The products Neubauer presented drew attention for their names derived directly from chemical element symbols, such as "LaB6 (lanthanum hexaboride)" and "TiB2 (titanium diboride)." Neubauer co-founded RHP Technology in 2010 with other partners. After graduating from Vienna University of Technology, one of Austria's prestigious institutions, he has focused on research and development in materials engineering.
Neubauer's visit to Korea aims to expand partnerships with the semiconductor powerhouse. RHP Technology's primary focus is producing powders used in semiconductor wafer manufacturing. "Powders are used to coat wafer surfaces," Neubauer explained. "The powder form enables rapid heat transfer, which is advantageous for forming very thin and uniform films on wafers." Since thin films serve functions including separating, connecting, and protecting circuits, RHP Technology's powders can be considered foundational materials for semiconductor manufacturing. The company's portfolio also includes diamond-based materials used for cooling semiconductors.
RHP Technology currently exports most of its products outside Austria and has high expectations for the Korean market. The company is conducting three joint R&D projects with Korean semiconductor companies to validate its technology. "Korean companies have been approaching us for several years," Neubauer said. "They value our ability to rapidly produce with our own core technologies and know-how."
The secret to high-speed production lies in process differences from other materials companies. Conventional sintering processes heat materials at high temperatures for extended periods until desired performance is achieved. In contrast, RHP Technology's high-pressure electric current impact method sends electric current directly through materials to generate heat instantaneously, dramatically resolving the drawbacks of traditional methods. This effectively replaces high-temperature heat treatment processes that took several hours with high-speed processes completed in seconds. However, controlling rapid chemical reactions is challenging, making implementation impossible without specialized manufacturing expertise.
Neubauer compared his company's technology for blending various raw materials to create new materials to "alchemy." This is because it can achieve unique atomic arrangements and chemical states that cannot be synthesized through conventional heat treatment methods. "Fast production reduces energy consumption, enabling eco-friendly manufacturing while precisely controlling material microstructures to create much harder and lighter advanced materials," he emphasized.
This explains the growing demand for RHP Technology's capabilities in the space sector. The European Space Agency (ESA) approached RHP Technology to reduce the weight of satellite materials, and the two organizations are currently collaborating on three-dimensional (3D) magnesium structure development and new material adoption. RHP Technology has also adopted 3D printing technology to develop space-grade metal materials. "We use 3D printers to manufacture large components from metals or metal alloys, or to create ceramic parts," Neubauer said.
Forecasts suggest that as advanced industries become more sophisticated, the importance of deep-tech companies capable of customizing materials to client specifications will increase. "We aim to establish RHP Technology's innovative technologies for widespread use in high-tech regions including Korea," Neubauer concluded. "We will continue strengthening our R&D capabilities to meet new technology trends across various industries requiring advanced materials, including semiconductors and aerospace."