SK Hynix will resume investment in its NAND flash memory production line in Dalian, China, with production capacity expected to increase by 50%.

According to South Korean media Maeil Economic Daily, Solidigm, the NAND flash subsidiary of SK Hynix, plans to resume construction of the second phase of its NAND flash production base in Dalian, China. Equipment installation is expected to begin in November this year, with formal production set to launch in the first half of next year. The Dalian Phase II project had been stalled for a long time due to factors including the sluggish NAND market, inventory adjustments, and U.S. restrictions on semiconductor equipment exports to China. Driven by the expansion of AI data centers, demand for enterprise-grade solid-state drives (eSSDs) has grown, prompting SK Hynix to resume investment to expand NAND production capacity. The current monthly production capacity of Dalian Phase I is approximately 100,000 wafers; upon completion of Phase II, an additional monthly capacity of around 50,000 wafers is expected, boosting overall production capacity by about 50%. SK Hynix plans to adopt a "dual-track production" strategy: manufacturing mature-process NAND at its Dalian facility, while concentrating high-end NAND production at its M17 plant in Cheongju, South Korea.