Samsung Pyeongtaek P5 Plant Update: Phase 1 Equipment Suppliers to Be Finalized Soon, Operation Expected to Start Next Year

By: M 1 day ago

Huge Investment for P5, Equipment Order Countdown Begins

According to South Korean media reports, Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (DS) Division has entered the final stage of selecting semiconductor manufacturing equipment for establishing Phase 1, the first manufacturing line of P5. It is said that Samsung Electronics has mostly confirmed the semiconductor equipment companies that will build the P5 Phase 1 line, and the process of selecting suppliers for additional lines after Phase 2 is progressing simultaneously. Orders for semiconductor equipment on the scale of tens of trillion won are imminent.

The P5 fab framework is currently going up, and supply facilities for special gases and chemicals for semiconductor manufacturing are being built.

Three-Story Mega Fab, Targeting Over 50% Capacity Increase

Unlike the existing two-story structure(double fab) of other fabs in the Pyeongtaek site, P5 is an ultra-large fab planned with a three-story structure across six cleanrooms. The factory is expected to produce cutting-edge DRAM products, including High Bandwidth Memory (HBM). The production items will be state-of-the-art DRAM including High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), and it is known that a semiconductor foundry line is also being considered in view of market demand.

In terms of capacity, Samsung Electronics aims to raise the production capacity of P5 by more than 50% compared to existing fabs.

Phased Rapid Advancement, Production Timeline Significantly Moved Up

Samsung Electronics has also started the process of selecting equipment companies for Phase 2, the second line of P5. When building a semiconductor fab, zones are divided into Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, etc., and established sequentially depending on the purpose of the line or the timing of operation, and this is interpreted as an attempt to advance the operation timing of the line by bringing equipment into Phase 2 quickly as well.

Originally, the target for full operation of the P5 line was known to be 2028, but the first line (Phase 1) is expected to be operational as early as next year. The delivery period (lead time) after ordering the semiconductor equipment is the key. Samsung Electronics requested equipment partners to advance the supply as much as possible.