SK hynix gears up for mass production of new NAND chip

[THE INVESTOR] Chipmaker SK hynix is all out to create growth momentum by completing the development of an advanced 3-D NAND flash memory chip this year.

The Korean semiconductor firm is in the final phase to produce the 3-D NAND chip with 48 cell layers, according to industry sources

No other chip companies, except for its local rival Samsung Electronics, have mass-produced the advanced memory chip stacking 48 cell layers

The semiconductor business arm of SK Group said in a conference call in July that it would complete the development of the 48-layer NAND chip in the latter half this year, adding that the 3-D NAND chip would take up more than 50 percent of the firm’s production volume for NAND flash memory chips.

Reflecting high expectations on the company’s memory chip business, the company’s shares have been on the upward trend since May this year on the back of the rising price of DRAM chips and the supply deal of its NAND flash memory chip to Apple of the US.

On Sept. 27, its shares closed at 41,150 won (US$37.45) apiece, a record high this year.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)