SK Hynix is poised to seize the moment of introducing equipment into its second plant in Dalian, China, to propel the investment and establishment of a state-of-the-art production line. The company has outlined plans to commence equipment installation in the latter half of this year, with a phased completion of the facility construction slated for the first half of the upcoming year. Earlier, the first plant in Dalian had successfully upgraded its 192-layer NAND flash memory production line and replaced outdated equipment. Due to the industry downturn, the second plant in Dalian had put its 2022 investment plan on hold. However, the burgeoning demand for NAND flash memory, spurred by the widespread adoption of AI data centers, has significantly heightened the prospects of project resumption. The company is diligently gearing up for a comprehensive investment, having substantially ramped up its capital infusion last year. At present, certain local South Korean suppliers are in the process of relocating idle equipment, while overseas manufacturers have already been issued preliminary purchase orders. The plant is scheduled to introduce a new V8 production line dedicated to 238-layer NAND flash memory in the latter half of this year, targeting a monthly production capacity ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 wafers.