Article · AI translation
IT Home reported on November 15 that, according to South Korean media outlet Etnews today, despite factors such as a change of CEO at Nvidia adding to uncertainty in the AI industry, SK hynix still believes demand for HBM (IT Home note: high-bandwidth memory) is strong. The company plans to focus investment on equipment for HBM packaging and testing, with plans to formally put it into use in the first half of next year.
According to several people in the semiconductor equipment industry, SK hynix is discussing purchases of HBM4 production equipment with partners. The company is mainly coordinating purchase timing and quantities with suppliers of equipment for back-end processes such as HBM bonding, cutting and inspection.
A partner of SK hynix familiar with the matter said: “SK hynix is moving forward with additional investment in HBM4 production equipment and is accelerating the relevant arrangements, aiming to complete equipment delivery to the site, installation and commissioning in the first half of next year.” SK hynix reportedly plans to accelerate its equipment investment schedule, even asking suppliers to deliver some equipment before the first quarter.
Meanwhile, the new production site for SK hynix’s capacity expansion may be the P&T6 packaging and testing plant in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. Formerly known as M8, this semiconductor plant was selected by SK hynix in 2025 as an HBM production site. SK hynix has been building an HBM production line there since the beginning of this year.
Another industry source said: “SK hynix plans to make as much use as possible of the unused space at the P&T6 plant to expand HBM4 capacity. If the entire plant is fully operational, it could produce more than 20,000 additional wafers of HBM per month, measured in wafers.”
At its third-quarter earnings briefing last month, SK hynix said: “Through 2029, the company’s DRAM and HBM capacity for the next three years is effectively sold out.”