According to a report from TechNews, in response to the temporary power outage caused by a severe thunderstorm on the afternoon of August 13th, memory manufacturer Nanya Technology announced on the evening of August 14th that the outage led to a halt in some machinery operations.

As emergency measures and safety checks were immediately implemented, all of Nanya Technology’s employees are safe, and the company is working to restore operations, which are expected to resume within 2-3 days.

Still, the power outage had led to damage to wafers, equipment repairs, and production interruptions, with an estimated loss of NTD 300-500 million (roughly USD 9.3 – 15.5 million). The exact figure will be confirmed after further assessment.

On the day of the power outage on August 13th, TechNews already reported that Nanya Technology’s plant experienced a 20-minute power outage during the incident. The uninterruptible power supply (UPS) was activated, minimizing damage in the photolithography and etching areas. However, sites without UPS are still being assessed for potential impacts.

On the other hand, memory giant Micron only experienced a voltage sag and reported no significant issues. Micron further stated that the voltage sag at its Taiwan facility due to the August 13th incident did not cause any harm to employees, and operations remain normal.

Read more

• [News] Taiwan Faces Temporary Power Outage in Certain Areas, while Rumors Hint at Potential Impact on Micron Equipment
• [News] Nanya Technology Chairman Names 10nm 1B Process as Key Expansion Focus for the Year

(Photo credit: Nanya Technology)

On August 13th, as per a report from Wallstreetcn citing industry sources, it’s indicated that SK hynix has raised the price of its DDR5 DRAM by 15% to 20%. Per the sources, the price hike by hynix is primarily due to the production capacity being squeezed by HBM3/3e. Additionally, the increased orders for AI servers downstream have also strengthened SK hynix’s resolve to raise DDR5 prices.

According to industry sources cited by Economic Daily News, for Taiwanese manufacturers, Nanya Technology has recently started mass production of DDR5, just in time to benefit from this price surge. Module makers such as ADATA and Team Group are also likely to see gains from low-cost inventory.

Nanya Technology has begun shipping its 16Gb DDR5, developed using its 1B process. Nanya Technology is optimistic that the DRAM market is on a clear path to recovery. This may due to last year’s production cuts by the three major memory manufacturers—Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron—as well as the strong demand for HBM driven by generative AI. The resulting chain reaction is expected to positively impact various types of DRAM.

SK hynix previously announced that its entire HBM production capacity for 2024 has been fully booked, with almost all of its 2025 capacity also sold out. To meet customer demand, SK hynix plans to convert over 20% of its existing DRAM production lines to mass-produce HBM.

Samsung, on the other hand, is said to be actively trying to catch up with SK hynix, looking to allocate around 30% of its DRAM production capacity to HBM.

The significant adjustments by Samsung and SK hynix to their production lines have severely squeezed the capacity for DDR4 and DDR5 DRAM, potentially leading to a sharp reduction in supply and causing prices to rise. Reportedly, SK hynix’s price increase for DDR5 primarily targets contract prices.

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• [News] Nanya Technology Chairman Names 10nm 1B Process as Key Expansion Focus for the Year
• [News] DRAM Price Surge Halts, Could HBM Demand Drive Price Increases?

(Photo credit: Nanya Technology)

According to industry sources cited in a report from TechNews, a temporary power outage occurred in certain areas in northern Taiwan (Linkou, Taishan, Xinzhuang) at 1:35 PM on August 13.

Addressing the matter, DRAM manufacturer Nanya Technology is currently assessing the damage, while Micron, on the other hand, has experienced voltage sag and reports no issues at this time. Still, some rumors have suggested that parts of Micron’s dry etching and wet process equipment has been affected.

Industry sources cited by TechNews mentioned that Nanya Technology’s plant experienced a power outage lasting about 20 minutes but activated its Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system. The photolithography and etching areas are expected to be minimally affected, but the non-UPS sites are still under assessment.

Currently, Nanya Technology is still confirming the extent of the damage.

According to an industry assessment cited by TechNews, the impact of this power outage on Nanya Technology is limited, with existing inventory, the production lines can continue to supply products.

Read more

• [News] HBM Supply Shortage Prompts Micron’s Expansion, Expected Schedule in Japan and Taiwan Revealed
• [News] Nanya Technology Chairman Names 10nm 1B Process as Key Expansion Focus for the Year

(Photo credit: Micron)

Global HBM leader, South Korea’s SK hynix, announced its financial report for the last quarter on July 25, exceeding market expectations. According to a report from Economic Daily News, the company also announced a full-scale effort to boost production of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI, with this year’s capital expenditure expected to surpass initial projections. Additionally, more capacity will be allocated for HBM production.

Industry sources cited by the report also indicate that for Taiwanese manufacturers, the major global memory companies are expanding their HBM production capacity by converting existing DRAM capacity to HBM. This shift will suppress the supply of DDR4 and DDR5 DRAM, positively impacting market conditions.

Previously, as per sources cited by the Economic Daily News, it’s indicated that global memory leader Samsung plans to allocate about 30% of its existing DRAM capacity to HBM production. Now, with SK hynix reportedly making similar plans, this may benefit Taiwanese DRAM-related companies like Nanya Technology and ADATA in the future.

Reportedly, Nanya Technology is said to believe that the DRAM market has significantly improved due to the production cuts by the three major memory manufacturers—Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron—in the second half of last year, combined with the strong demand for HBM driven by generative AI. This chain reaction is spreading to various types of DRAM, and the company expects to see clear operational improvements soon.

SK hynix announced yesterday that its Q2 revenue increased by 125% year-on-year to KRW 16.4 trillion (USD 11.9 billion), setting a new record. Operating profit reached KRW 5.47 trillion, the highest since Q3 2018, significantly better than the KRW 2.9 trillion loss in the same period last year. The operating margin was 33%, exceeding expectations, mainly due to a more than 250% surge in HBM sales and an overall increase in DRAM and NAND chip prices.

SK hynix plans to begin mass production of the next-generation 12-layer HBM3e chips this quarter, enhancing its competitive edge over rivals Samsung and Micron in the design and supply of advanced memory for NVIDIA’s AI accelerators. HBM3e is expected to account for about half of all HBM chip sales this year. Additionally, capital expenditure for this year is likely to exceed initial expectations.

SK hynix predicts that the overall memory market will continue to grow in the second half of the year, with DRAM and NAND chip supply becoming tighter and demand for AI servers remaining strong.

Read more

• [News] AI Boosts HBM Demand, SK Hynix’s Q2 Profits Reach Six-Year High
• [News] SK hynix, TSMC, and NVIDIA Reportedly Forge Alliance to Develop Next-Generation HBM

(Photo credit: SK hynix)

As memory prices and demand rise, memory manufacturers Nanya Technology and Winbond have resumed normal production, no longer reducing output as they did last year. TrendForce and industry sources cited in a report from Liberty Times Net also indicate that memory shipments will continue to recover in the third quarter.

Reportedly, memory manufacturers’ utilization rates have reached 90% to 100%, surpassing the 60% to 70% utilization rates of mature process foundries.

Last year, in response to market conditions, Winbond adjusted its inventory and reduced production at its Taichung plant by up to 30-40%. This year, as market demand has rebounded, production has resumed, with capacity now at full utilization, producing 58,000 wafers per month.

Moreover, Winbond’s Kaohsiung plant has introduced new capacity equipment, increasing monthly production from 10,000 to 14,000 wafers and upgrading processes from 25nm to 20nm.

Winbond’s General Manager, Pei-Ming Chen, stated that the company is currently operating at full capacity utilization, with shipments exceeding production. This indicates a continuous decrease in inventory levels and a rise in customer demand. He then expected the second half of the year to be better than the first, with DDR3 and DDR4 contract prices increasing each quarter, aiding the company’s core profitability.

Nanya Technology Increases Production, Aims to Turn Losses into Profits in Q3

Nanya Technology adjusted production levels dynamically last year, reducing output by up to 20%. However, production has gradually increased this year.

Nanya Technology anticipates improving DRAM market conditions and prices quarter by quarter, with the industry overall trending positively and a chance to return to profitability in the third quarter.

Nanya Technology reported consolidated revenue of NTD 3.363 billion (roughly USD 103 million) for June, up 0.35% month-on-month and 36.83% year-on-year, marking the second-highest level this year. Accumulated consolidated revenue for the first half of the year was NTD 19.424 billion (roughly USD 596 million), an increase of 44.4% year-on-year.

On the other hand, chairperson Doris Hsu of GlobalWafers, a major silicon wafer manufacturer, recently stated that currently, there is stronger demand for high-performance computing (HPC) and memory applications, while demand in automotive and industrial applications is weak. Demand for mobile applications is increasing, and customers are continuing to digest inventory, leading to a more conservative approach towards procurement.

TrendForce reports that a recovery in demand for general servers—coupled with an increased production share of HBM by DRAM suppliers—has led suppliers to maintain their stance on hiking prices. As a result, the ASP of DRAM in the third quarter is expected to continue rising, with an anticipated increase of 8–13%. Among this, DDR3 & DDR4 prices expected to increase by 3–8% in Q3.

Read more

• [News] Jensen Huang Confirms NVIDIA Approaches Certification of Samsung’s HBM Chips
• HBM3e Production Surge Expected to Make Up 35% of Advanced Process Wafer Input by End of 2024, Says TrendForce

(Photo credit: Nanya Technology)