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) package deal, it actually warrants some consideration.
Semiconductor enterprise normally and reminiscence enterprise specifically are very cyclical of their nature. Only a 12 months in the past virtually all chips have been briefly 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 highway 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 growth plan.
SK Hynix’s Fab M15X will likely be a two-story constructing occupying 60,000 m2 of land and will likely be positioned adjoining to current Fab M15 within the Cheongju Technopolis industrial complicated. The fab will produce 3D NAND (which implies extra chemical vapor deposition and etching instruments within the cleanroom) and/or DRAM (which is extra lithography-intensive, so extra DUV and EUV gear within the cleanroom) reminiscence chips, relying on demand by the point it comes on-line generally in 2025. Since at current it’s unclear/undecided what the fab will produce, the corporate can’t disclose deliberate manufacturing capability of the upcoming manufacturing facility.
At a deliberate measurement roughly equal to mixed area of SK Hynix’s current Fab M11 and Fab M12, the corporate’s Fab M15X growth appears extra like a wholly new fab constructed adjoining to current Fab M15 than an growth challenge of the prevailing fab. But for the reason that two manufacturing services share infrastructure and varied services, the maker prefers to name it Fab M15X.
“Trying again on the previous 10 years, SK hynix might develop into a world 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 subsequent 10 years now, I consider beginning the M15X will likely be a primary step to put basis for a strong future progress.”
Supply: SK Hynix
