When a serious South Korean reminiscence agency invests over $11 billion in a fab, that raises a few eyebrows. However when it comes inside a serious $100+ billion capital expenditure (CapEx) bundle, it actually warrants some consideration.
Semiconductor enterprise usually and reminiscence enterprise particularly are very cyclical of their nature. Only a yr in the past nearly all chips have been in brief provide and costs of commodities like reminiscence or show drivers have been excessive, however now that gross sales of PCs are declining, reminiscence costs are declining too. However a number of years down the street demand for PCs and different consumer gadgets will rise as soon as once more, and so will demand for reminiscence. Which is why SK Hynix is already getting ready for this with its Fab M15X enlargement plan.
SK Hynix’s Fab M15X might be a two-story constructing occupying 60,000 m2 of land and might be situated adjoining to present Fab M15 within the Cheongju Technopolis industrial complicated. The fab will produce 3D NAND (which suggests extra chemical vapor deposition and etching instruments within the cleanroom) and/or DRAM (which is extra lithography-intensive, so extra DUV and EUV tools within the cleanroom) reminiscence chips, relying on demand by the point it comes on-line typically in 2025. Since at current it’s unclear/undecided what the fab will produce, the corporate can not disclose deliberate manufacturing capability of the upcoming manufacturing facility.
At a deliberate dimension roughly equal to mixed house of SK Hynix’s present Fab M11 and Fab M12, the corporate’s Fab M15X enlargement seems to be extra like a completely new fab constructed adjoining to present Fab M15 than an enlargement challenge of the present fab. But for the reason that two manufacturing amenities share infrastructure and varied amenities, the maker prefers to name it Fab M15X.
“Wanting again on the previous 10 years, SK hynix may develop into a worldwide firm because it boldly carried out funding throughout disaster,” mentioned Park Jung-ho, vice chairman and co-chief govt of SK Hynix. “As we glance to organize for the following 10 years now, I imagine beginning the M15X might be a primary step to put basis for a strong future progress.”
Supply: SK Hynix