Date : 2026-01-14 14:14 Page : 2026-01-15
SK hynix has upgraded its Wuxi plant (fab) in China, a key base for DRAM production. It is evaluated that the process conversion has been completed amid US public semiconductor sanctions and the production base has been expanded.
According to the industry on the 14th, SK hynix is understood to have switched the Wuxi fab process from the existing 1z to 1a. The production capacity of Wuxi DRAM is 180,000~190,000 pieces per month based on the input volume of 12-inch wafers, of which about 90% is filled by the 1A process. The company announced its plan to convert the Wuxi fab process at the earnings briefing in January 2024, which was completed in two years.
DRAM is divided into generations according to miniaturization. 1Z is the 3rd generation of 10 nanometer (nm) DRAM, and 1A is the 4th generation. The higher the generation, the better the performance. SK hynix is now able to create DRAM with improved performance in Wuxi.
The reason why the Wuxi fab process conversion is attracting attention is because it is a key production base of SK hynix. Wuxi Fab is responsible for 30~40% of the company's total DRAM production.
If the process was not converted due to the US mass semiconductor equipment regulations, there was a high possibility that production as well as business would be disrupted, but it seems to have resolved concerns.
1a DRAM requires an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) process. However, EUV equipment was banned from being imported into China due to US export restrictions.
As an alternative, SK hynix introduced a method in which the EUV process required for the implementation of microcircuits is carried out in Korea, and the rest of the work is completed in Wuxi.
Despite the complexity of the process and the burden of logistics costs, the conversion of Wuxi Fab to the 1A process is interpreted as the high importance of Wuxi Fab. It is a key foundation to respond competitively to the demand of the global market not only in China but also in China.
SK hynix President Song Hyun-jong said at the earnings briefing for the second quarter of last year, "The Chinese factory is a very important production facility not only for SK hynix but also for global memory semiconductor supply and demand," and "We will closely monitor the regulatory situation in the United States and communicate closely with the governments of each country to ensure continuous operation."
Since its first operation in 2006, SK hynix has invested tens of trillions of won in Wuxi fabs.
Meanwhile, SK hynix is expected to accelerate the transition to the 1C process, which is equivalent to the 6th generation of DRAM fabs in Korea. It plans to invest in 1C upgrades centered on the Icheon M14 and M16 fabs. It is a structure that produces general-purpose products in China and state-of-the-art DRAM in Korea.
Reporter Lee Ho-gil eagles@etnews.com
SK hynix has upgraded its Wuxi plant (fab) in China, a key base for DRAM production. It is evaluated that the process conversion has been completed amid US public semiconductor sanctions and the production base has been expanded.
According to the industry on the 14th, SK hynix is understood to have switched the Wuxi fab process from the existing 1z to 1a. The production capacity of Wuxi DRAM is 180,000~190,000 pieces per month based on the input volume of 12-inch wafers, of which about 90% is filled by the 1A process. The company announced its plan to convert the Wuxi fab process at the earnings briefing in January 2024, which was completed in two years.
DRAM is divided into generations according to miniaturization. 1Z is the 3rd generation of 10 nanometer (nm) DRAM, and 1A is the 4th generation. The higher the generation, the better the performance. SK hynix is now able to create DRAM with improved performance in Wuxi.
The reason why the Wuxi fab process conversion is attracting attention is because it is a key production base of SK hynix. Wuxi Fab is responsible for 30~40% of the company's total DRAM production.
If the process was not converted due to the US mass semiconductor equipment regulations, there was a high possibility that production as well as business would be disrupted, but it seems to have resolved concerns.
1a DRAM requires an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) process. However, EUV equipment was banned from being imported into China due to US export restrictions.
As an alternative, SK hynix introduced a method in which the EUV process required for the implementation of microcircuits is carried out in Korea, and the rest of the work is completed in Wuxi.
Despite the complexity of the process and the burden of logistics costs, the conversion of Wuxi Fab to the 1A process is interpreted as the high importance of Wuxi Fab. It is a key foundation to respond competitively to the demand of the global market not only in China but also in China.
SK hynix President Song Hyun-jong said at the earnings briefing for the second quarter of last year, "The Chinese factory is a very important production facility not only for SK hynix but also for global memory semiconductor supply and demand," and "We will closely monitor the regulatory situation in the United States and communicate closely with the governments of each country to ensure continuous operation."
Since its first operation in 2006, SK hynix has invested tens of trillions of won in Wuxi fabs.
Meanwhile, SK hynix is expected to accelerate the transition to the 1C process, which is equivalent to the 6th generation of DRAM fabs in Korea. It plans to invest in 1C upgrades centered on the Icheon M14 and M16 fabs. It is a structure that produces general-purpose products in China and state-of-the-art DRAM in Korea.
Reporter Lee Ho-gil eagles@etnews.com