SK Hynix has put on hold its equipment procurement strategy aimed at scaling up production of the cutting-edge 12-layer stacked HBM4 memory, pushing back the procurement start to early next year. This decision was triggered by a rescheduling of the internal investment review session. Initially slated for October, the meeting has now been rescheduled to take place from late November to early December. Consequently, procurement activities can only kick off after receiving the green light from this review.
Previously, the rift between SK Hynix and NVIDIA has been bridged. At present, the HBM4 samples provided to NVIDIA are crafted on modified HBM3E production lines, which are plagued by lengthy lead times. To set up a dedicated production line early next year, SK Hynix must commence certain procurements by the end of this year.
Back in March, SK Hynix wrapped up sample testing and embarked on small-scale mass production. By September, it announced that the mass production framework was in place, albeit still in a transitional mass production stage. The inaugural clean room of the new Cheongju M15X plant has been finalized, with only essential infrastructure equipment installed. Owing to power supply glitches and delays in equipment arrival, the HBM4-specific gear is anticipated to arrive early next year.
Furthermore, Samsung Electronics is also making significant strides in the mass production of HBM4, having finalized the installation and testing of new machinery. It is projected to achieve consistent shipments next year, setting the stage for a fierce competition between the two companies for market supremacy.