The new foundry line, which will focus on EUV-based 5 nanometer (nm) and below process technology, has just commenced construction this month and is expected to be in full operation in the second half of 2021. It will play a pivotal role as Samsung aims to expand the use of state-of-the-art process technologies across a myriad of current and next generation applications, including 5G, high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI).

“This new production facility will expand Samsung’s manufacturing capabilities for sub-5nm process and enable us to rapidly respond to the increasing demand for EUV-based solutions,” said Dr. ES Jung, President and Head of Foundry Business at Samsung Electronics. “We remain committed to addressing the needs of our customers through active investments and recruitment of talents. This will enable us to continue to break new ground while driving robust growth for Samsung’s foundry business.”

Following the initial mass production of the EUV-based 7nm process in early 2019, Samsung recently added a new EUV-dedicated V1 line in Hwaseong, Korea, to its global foundry network. With the new Pyeongtaek facility starting full operation in 2021, Samsung’s foundry capacity based on EUV is expected to increase significantly.

Samsung is scheduled to start mass production of 5nm EUV process in the Hwaseong fab in the second half of this year.

With the addition of the Pyeongtaek fab, Samsung will have a total of seven foundry production lines located in South Korea and the United States, comprised of six 12-inch lines and one 8-inch line.

Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Line 1

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today announced that its new semiconductor fabrication line in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, has begun mass production and shipping its first product to customers. The new facility will focus on the production of Samsung’s fourth-generation V-NAND (64 layers), adding to the company’s leading capacity for cutting-edge memory products.

“With the dedication and support of our employees, customers and partners, our new Pyeongtaek campus represents a new chapter in Samsung’s semiconductor operations,” said Oh-Hyun Kwon, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Samsung Electronics.

With two years of construction since it broke ground in May, 2015, the fabrication line at the Pyeongtaek campus is currently the largest single Fab in the industry.

Recent emerging IT trends such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), big data and automotive technologies has sharply increased demand for next-generation components. In response to these market needs, Samsung, across both Samsung Electronics and Samsung Display, plans to reinforce its manufacturing capabilities by investing more than KRW 37 trillion in investments to its global production facilities.

• By 2021, Samsung will invest a total of KRW 30 trillion into its current Pyeongtaek line to expand its semiconductor fabrication capacity
• Samsung also plans to invest KRW 6 trillion in its Hwaseong, South Korea, site for a semiconductor fabrication line optimized to install state-of-the-art infrastructure including Extreme Ultra Violet (EUV) equipment
• Samsung Display is reviewing plans to establish a new OLED manufacturing site in Asan, South Korea, by 2018

Samsung Electronics celebrated the first chip shipment from its new Pyeongtaek Line

In addition, Samsung’s plans to construct a second semiconductor fabrication line in Xi’an, China, site are also under review. Samsung’s first semiconductor fabrication line in Xi’an was constructed in 2014 and is presently in full operation.

With the new investments, Samsung aims to strengthen its global fabrication network and accelerate the overall development of the IT industry.