SK hynix’s Solidigm Considers First NAND Plant in the United States—Is It Set to Expand Local Production?

[Financial News] SK hynix is reportedly considering establishing its first NAND production base in the United States through Solidigm, its indirect NAND flash (NAND) subsidiary. As NAND demand surges amid the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, SK hynix has also left the door open to local production by Solidigm after recently reviewing memory-production cooperation with Intel. Attention is now focused on whether the company’s expansion of investment in the United States will gather momentum.
According to industry sources on the 18th, Solidigm is reportedly examining potential sites and detailed conditions for building a NAND mass-production line in the eastern United States.
An SK hynix official said, "Solidigm is reviewing various options to strengthen its business competitiveness, but nothing has been finalized."
Solidigm is a U.S. company established in 2021 after SK hynix acquired Intel’s NAND business. Solidigm currently operates a plant in Dalian, China, but has only its headquarters and research and development center in the United States. If it builds a mass-production line there, it is expected to become the company’s first local production base.
The plan is believed to stem from sustained growth in demand not only for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), but also for DRAM and NAND, as the AI supercycle continues. In the United States, demand for NAND used in AI data-center servers is also continuing to rise. According to market researcher Counterpoint Research, global NAND revenue in the second quarter of this year rose 70% from the previous quarter. NAND prices climbed 55% over the same period. In particular, TrendForce estimated that SK hynix’s NAND revenue in the second quarter came close to 20 trillion won.
SK hynix is pursuing expanded investment in the United States, using its listing of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) on Nasdaq as an opportunity. The company has recently been reviewing memory-production cooperation with Intel, while speculation continues that Solidigm may also be listed on Nasdaq.
[email protected] Im Su-bin Reporter