[News] Three Chinese Chip Toolmakers Reportedly Enter Global Top 20 as Naura Rises to Fifth by Sales

China’s chipmaking equipment makers are gaining momentum. According to Nikkei, three Chinese firms ranked among the world’s top 20 semiconductor equipment manufacturers last year—up from just one in 2022—as U.S. export restrictions push China’s chip industry to strengthen long-standing gaps in its supply chain. Citing analysts, the report says domestically produced tools now account for roughly 20%–30% of China’s semiconductor equipment usage, up sharply from about 10% three years ago.

Naura leads Chinese advance in chip equipment rankings

China’s largest semiconductor equipment supplier, Naura Technology, has continued to climb the global sales rankings. The report notes that Naura rose from eighth place in 2022 to fifth in 2025, trailing only ASML, Applied Materials, Lam Research, and Tokyo Electron. Founded in 2001, the company makes a broad range of tools for etching, deposition, and other key processes, with sales estimated to have grown about 21% last year, the report adds.

Another Chinese supplier, AMEC, has also entered the rankings. The report says AMEC placed 13th, noting that its core etching systems are said to be used in 5nm chip production. Founded by a former engineer from Lam Research and Applied Materials, AMEC also operates in Taiwan and South Korea, the report adds. Notably, industry sources cited by ijiwei said TSMC’s Nanjing fab has placed orders with AMEC for 5nm dielectric etching tools, with deliveries expected in 1Q26.

SMEE gains traction in lithography despite technology gap

The report also notes that SMEE (Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment) ranked 20th globally. The company focuses on lithography tools used to transfer circuit patterns onto semiconductor wafers. While its systems are based on more mature nodes than those offered by ASML, the world’s leading lithography equipment supplier, the report says demand remains steady, as SMEE is one of the few domestic Chinese players in the segment. Progress has continued for SMEE. According to ESM China, China’s Ministry of Science and Technology said in late 2025 that it would invest about RMB 110 million to award a contract for a domestically produced step-and-scan lithography system developed by SMEE.

Meanwhile, Nikkei adds that two more Chinese firms—ACM Research and Hwatsing Technology—also made it into the global top 30 chip equipment makers.

China narrows equipment gaps, EUV still the key constraint

Nikkei, citing sources, says Chinese equipment makers can now cover most major process steps, including deposition, etching, and cleaning. However, they have yet to develop the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems required for 3nm and 2nm chips—technology that remains available only from ASML, the report adds.

China has also been actively seeking to close the gap. According to Reuters, sources say the country has assembled a prototype EUV machine using components from older ASML systems, with the government aiming to produce functional chips using the prototype by 2028.

Read more

• [News] China’s Domestic Chip Equipment Adoption Beats 2025 Target at 35%, Led by NAURA, AMEC
• [News] China’s Etching Tool Giant AMEC Flags Up to 35% Profit Growth in 2025 as Thin-Film Sales Soar

(Photo credit: Naura Technology)