Reports indicate that Samsung and SK Hynix simultaneously increased their investments in advanced NAND flash memory in Q2

According to South Korean media ZDNetKorea, global memory giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix plan to simultaneously push forward with "conversion investments" in their most advanced NAND flash memory in the second quarter of this year, aiming to meet the surging storage demand driven by artificial intelligence.

Samsung Electronics started mass production of 280-layer ninth-generation (V9) NAND flash in September 2024. However, due to weak market demand, it currently operates only a small-scale production line at its Pyeongtaek campus in South Korea, with a monthly output of about 15,000 wafers. To accelerate the ramp-up of advanced-node capacity, the company will focus on upgrading its X2 production line in Xi'an, China, shifting it from producing 6th–7th generation NAND to manufacturing 280-layer V9 NAND. This move is expected to increase monthly capacity by 40,000 to 50,000 wafers. Samsung is also preparing to expand output at its Pyeongtaek P1 campus.

The report notes that SK Hynix likewise plans to expand production of 321-layer ninth-generation NAND in the second quarter. The investment will center on its M15 plant in Cheongju, South Korea, where new production lines are set to raise the monthly capacity of V9 NAND from around 20,000 wafers currently to approximately 30,000 wafers.