Page 22 - Memory Chips News Today

Niche-market memory IC design house Elite Semiconductor Memory Technology (ESMT) started seeing shipments of memory known-good dies (KGD) pick up in March, which the company views as an indication of demand recovery.

Winbond Electronics has signed a seven-year syndicated loan agreement for NT$20 billion (US$656.3 million) with 11 local banks in Taiwan, according to the specialty DRAM and flash memory chipmaker.

Taiwan-based DRAM chipmaker Nanya Technology said the company is still under pressure to limit output growth amid oversupply in the memory industry.

Samsung Electronics recently announced its "artificial" production cut, leading the South Korean industry to shift its focus to the potential scale of the cut and its impact on the market. Most analysts believe that even if Samsungs overall production cut reaches 20%, the memory chip market would still be difficult to "recover" before the end of 2023. Winter for the memory chip industry may last throughout the year.

Samsung Electronics recently announced the implementation of an "artificial" production cut in memory chips. The South Korean tech giant typically increases its investment in times of crisis, contrary to the predominant market trend. Despite production cuts, Samsung allegedly intends to invest KRW50 trillion (approximately US$38 billion) in 2023. The company hopes to maintain its lead in the memory industry and reap the benefits when the economic winter finally thaws.

Adata Technology believes its industry will start stabilizing in the second quarter, while fellow memory module firm Team Group still sees the industry having a difficult year.

The Cyberspace Administration of China on March 31 said it launched an investigation into Microns products in China on the grounds of "safeguarding supply chain security of critical information infrastructure," a move viewed as Beijings retaliation against Washingtons technological and strategic curb on Chinas development.

Samsung has announced that starting this week it will be lowering memory chips production by a meaningful level, especially that of products with supply secured, and most market observers believe that the production cut will focus on DDR4 memory chips.

China has kicked off a cybersecurity review of Micron Technologys memory products sold in the country, making it the first foreign semiconductor company in China to face the scrutiny and casting darker clouds over its business prospects. It remains to be seen what the possible consequences will be, and if China will conduct similar probes into other foreign semiconductor firms.

Taiwan-based OSATs such as ChipMOS Technologies and Chipbond Technology are seeing the monthly operating growth rate of chip and backend companies exceed 20%.