Cassia Semiconductor signs a supply agreement with Anabatic Semiconductor for next-generation BMS semiconductors.
Cassia Semiconductor, a subsidiary of Cassia, announced on the 14th that it has signed a contract to supply baseband system-on-chip (Baseband SoC) for wireless communication chips (WCP) with Anabatic Semiconductor, a battery management system (BMS) semiconductor design company.
With this agreement, the two companies will begin full-scale cooperation in the field of automotive BMS semiconductor solutions.
Anabatic Semiconductor is a fabless company developing BMS semiconductors and solutions. Founder and CEO Jeong Se-woong led the development of the Exynos mobile AP (application processor) at Samsung Electronics and previously oversaw Samsung Electronics’ foundry business and Samsung SDI’s mid- to large-sized battery business.
Amazon and Microsoft, desperate for semiconductors, support Nvidia export restrictions.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 13th (local time) that AWS, following Microsoft, has come out in support of a bill that could further restrict Nvidia’s export capabilities to China. Dubbed the “Gain AI Act,” the bill would require chipmakers to prioritize meeting domestic demand before shipping their products to China and countries subject to arms embargoes.
It helps hyperscaler (large-scale AI data center operators) technology companies such as Microsoft and AWS get priority access to chips for their data centers.
Jeju Semiconductor, fueled by the “memory boom,” posts record-breaking third-quarter performance.
Jeju Semiconductor achieved a surprising performance in the third quarter of this year, surpassing KRW 100 billion in quarterly sales for the first time ever. Driven by the recent surge in prices of memory semiconductors, including DRAM and NAND flash, the company expects its earnings to continue to rise for the time being.
Jeju Semiconductor announced on the 14th that its third-quarter sales reached KRW 108.8 billion, a 197% increase year-over-year. Operating profit for the same period surged 762% to KRW 14 billion, marking the highest quarterly figures ever for both sales and operating profit. Unlike most domestic fabless companies, which focus on system semiconductors (non-memory), Jeju Semiconductor operates memory semiconductors as its core business.
Semiconductor equipment company ASML completes construction of a campus in Hwaseong City.
ASML, a global semiconductor equipment company, completed construction of the ‘ASML Hwaseong Campus’ in Songdong, Dongtan New Town, Hwaseong on the 12th.
Hwaseong City expects that with the completion of the ASML campus, it will move closer to completing a semiconductor innovation cluster that will bring together Samsung Electronics’ Hwaseong campus, major partner companies, and materials and equipment companies.
Christophe Fouquet, CEO of ASML, said, “We are grateful for the full support of Hwaseong Special City, which has allowed the ASML Hwaseong Campus to be completed smoothly as planned. We will strive to use the completion of the Hwaseong Campus as an opportunity to contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of Hwaseong City and the Korean semiconductor industry.”
SK Key Foundry to launch next-generation SiC power semiconductor business early next year.
SK Key Foundry, a semiconductor foundry company, announced on the 12th that it will complete the development of silicon carbide (SiC)-based compound power semiconductor technology by the end of this year and begin its foundry business in earnest early next year.
SK Key Foundry recently acquired SK Powertech, a company with core SiC technology, securing its SiC power semiconductor capabilities. SK Powertech is one of the few companies in Korea to have commercialized SiC power devices and secured key process technologies.
Based on this, SK Key Foundry plans to develop a 1200-volt (V) SiC metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) process technology by the end of this year. The company then plans to secure customers and launch a SiC-based power semiconductor foundry business within the first half of next year.
Rebellion establishes US corporation, accelerating global expansion
Rebellion announced on the 13th that it has hired Marshall Choy, a business strategy expert from U.S. cloud company Oracle and AI semiconductor startup Sambanova Systems, as its Chief Business Officer (CBO) and Jennifer Glore as its Executive Vice President of Product Management (EVP)
Through the establishment of this US corporation, Rebellion plans to strengthen its position in the North American market, a hub for AI technology, and expand its global business network to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Japan.
Kioxia, the No. 3 NAND chip maker, hits its lower limit due to earnings shock.
On the 14th, Kioxia Holdings, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, saw its stock price plummet 23.03% from the previous trading day, closing at 10,025 yen. The previous day, after the market closed, Kioxia announced its second-quarter (July-September) fiscal 2025 results. Sales fell 6.8% year-on-year to 448.3 billion yen, and net profit plummeted 62% to 41.7 billion yen.
Regarding this recent plunge, Japanese media and market insiders are generally interpreting it as “not a sudden and significant deterioration in the company’s fundamentals, but rather a correction in stock prices that had overly reflected expectations for the AI and memory industries, driven by the reality of performance and outlook.”
Cathode material, a key battery material/Data = LG Chem
LG Chem to supply 3.8 trillion won worth of cathode materials for electric vehicle batteries to the US.
LG Chem announced on the 13th that it has signed a mid- to long-term supply contract worth 3.762 trillion won (approximately $3.2 billion USD) for cathode materials for electric vehicle batteries with a US client. Analysts say this represents a breath of fresh air for LG Chem, which had been struggling with the electric vehicle chasm (a temporary slowdown in demand) and the deteriorating petrochemical industry.
In this disclosure, LG Chem only specified the supply region as the United States and did not disclose the contracting party. Industry sources speculate that the supplier is a Japanese company, such as Tesla or Panasonic, which have recently been strengthening their battery manufacturing capabilities. The contract period runs from the 15th of this month to July 31, 2029. The battery industry estimates that the volume is enough to produce 100,000 tons of cathode materials, enough to power 760,000 electric vehicles.
Toyota officially announces $10 billion additional investment in the US, launching its first US battery plant.
Japanese automaker Toyota has begun production of its first automotive batteries in North America, Toyota Motor North America announced on the 12th (local time). According to Toyota, the battery manufacturing facility in Liberty, North Carolina, has officially begun operations.
Toyota has been investing a total of $14 billion (approximately 20.6 trillion won) since 2021 to build a vehicle battery plant, following the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) policy of former President Joe Biden’s administration, which provides tax benefits for US-produced electric vehicles. This marks Toyota’s first vehicle battery production in the United States.
Even amid the electric vehicle chasm, K-battery companies are significantly increasing their R&D spending.
According to the quarterly reports released by each company on the 14th, the cumulative R&D expenses of LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK On in the third quarter of this year totaled KRW 2.3206 trillion. This represents a 16.5% increase compared to the combined R&D expenses of KRW 1.9919 trillion in the third quarter of last year.
Samsung SDI invested the most in R&D this year. Its cumulative R&D spending reached KRW 1.116 trillion in the third quarter, an 11.7% increase from KRW 986.1 billion in the same period last year. Samsung SDI also had the highest R&D expenditures as a percentage of sales in the third quarter, at 11.7%, among the three companies.
HS Hyosung’s Cho Hyun-sang and Mercedes-Benz Chairman Discuss Strengthening Cooperation in Batteries, Carbon Fiber, and Interior Materials
On the 13th, HS Hyosung Vice Chairman Cho Hyun-sang met with Mercedes-Benz Group Chairman and CEO Ola Källenius, who visited the ‘Maybach Brand Center Seoul’ located in Apgujeong, Gangnam, Seoul, and discussed future business cooperation plans.
According to HS Hyosung, this meeting was attended by key executives from both companies, including Vice Chairman Cho, HS Hyosung Research Institute Director Noh Ki-soo, HS Hyosung CEO Ahn Sung-hoon, and HS Hyosung The Class CEO Noh Jae-bong.
Vice Chairman Cho held an in-depth discussion with HS Hyosung on strengthening cooperation in the value chain of automotive materials, including battery materials, carbon fiber, automotive interior materials, airbags, and tire cords, which are competitive in the global market.
KNS Receives New Order for 46-Pi Battery Equipment
KNS, a company specializing in secondary battery automation equipment, announced on the 13th that it has received a new order for assembly and inspection equipment for next-generation 46-pi cylindrical batteries.
According to the company, following its contract for and delivery of automated riveting equipment for 46-pi cylindrical batteries last year, KNS has now secured a comprehensive supply of component assembly and inspection equipment, completing its 46-pi battery equipment portfolio. This contract covers a total of 10 units of four different types of equipment, a turnkey arrangement that encompasses the assembly and inspection processes for four to five additional components in addition to the riveting process. The contract is valued at approximately 8 billion won.
POSCO invests KRW 1.1 trillion to secure lithium supply chain.
POSCO Holdings announced on the 12th that it will invest $765 million (approximately KRW 1.1 trillion) in a new intermediate holding company established by Australian mining company Mineral Resources, securing a 30% stake.
Through this investment, POSCO Holdings will secure approximately 270,000 tons of lithium concentrate annually from Mineral Resources’ Wojna and Mount Marion mines in Western Australia. This capacity is enough to produce 37,000 tons of lithium hydroxide (enough to power 860,000 electric vehicles).
Innox Lithium Completes Secondary Battery Cathode Material Manufacturing Facility in Ochang
On the 11th, Innox Lithium held a completion ceremony for its Ochang plant at the Ochang Technopolis Industrial Complex in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.
Built at a cost of 460 billion won, the Ochang plant, spanning 17,000 pyeong (approximately 55,000 square meters), produces lithium hydroxide, a key component of secondary battery cathodes. With the completion of the first phase, the company has secured production capacity for batteries for 400,000 electric vehicles. With the addition of a second phase on the remaining site, the company will have the capacity to produce lithium hydroxide for one million electric vehicles.
Tesla’s robotaxi, the Cybercab. /Photo = Tesla YouTube
Valeo Mobility Invests in Advanced Autonomous Driving R&D Center in Gyeongsan
On the 14th, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and Gyeongsan City signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with automotive parts company Valeo Mobility Korea at Gyeongsan City Hall to establish an autonomous driving system research and development (R&D) center.
Valeo Mobility plans to invest approximately $13 million by 2030 to build an R&D facility at Yeungnam University’s Gyeongsan Campus to develop core technologies for autonomous driving systems for vehicles.
Through this, we will hire approximately 50 research and development personnel and expand research equipment and testing infrastructure to advance core technologies related to advanced autonomous driving and sensors.
Waymo, the first in the US to launch autonomous taxis on highways, is now operating.
Waymo, Google’s self-driving car subsidiary, has begun operating its robotaxi on highways. This marks the first time in the United States that a self-driving taxi has driven on a highway without a safety driver.
Waymo announced on the 12th (local time) that it will support highway driving in three cities: San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles (LA). “You can now travel to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport or from downtown LA to Culver City,” Waymo said. This service is available 24 hours a day, exclusively to users who wish to drive on the highway.
Tesla: “Full Autonomous Driving Coming Soon to Korea”
Tesla Korea announced on the 12th that it will soon launch a fully autonomous driving (FSD) supervised service. This marks the first time Tesla has officially announced plans to launch an FSD service in Korea.
Tesla Korea posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, “FSD Supervisory, Next Destination: Korea, Coming Soon.” Along with the post, the company also uploaded a video showing a Tesla vehicle driving on domestic roads, presumably using FSD Supervisory for autonomous driving.
Kakao Mobility introduces autonomous driving DRT service in Sangam.
Kakao Mobility announced on the 12th that it will introduce a ‘autonomous driving DRT (Demand Responsive Transport) service’ in the Sangam area of Seoul, which allows one-stop service from calling to boarding and payment through the Kakao T app.
DRT is a public transportation service that flexibly operates routes and operating times by setting the optimal route based on user calls. It is also operated as a ‘fixed route’ in which the service stops only at the stops where calls are made within the set route.
PonyLink establishes autonomous driving subsidiary FutureLink, appointing Dr. Cha Du-won as CEO.
PonyLink announced on the 13th that it will spin off its existing mobility business division and establish FutureLink, a subsidiary specializing in autonomous driving, to enhance its competitiveness and expertise in autonomous driving technology.
Futurelink CEO Cha Doo-won, a mobility expert and head of Ponylink’s mobility business division, has been appointed, forming a “two-top system” alongside Chairman Nam Kyung-pil. Cha is considered one of Korea’s leading experts in the mobility field, having previously served as head of the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) team at Hyundai Mobis, a research fellow and policy committee member at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP), and a managing director at 42dot and Hyundai Motor Group’s TaaS division.
Equipment being brought into BOE’s 8.6th-generation OLED line in Chengdu. / Photo = Gaoxin District, Chengdu
Foldable OLED phone shipments expected to decline 14.4% this year.
According to UBI Research on the 11th, cumulative global foldable OLED shipments for the first three quarters of this year amounted to 16.7 million units, a 20% decrease from the same period last year (21 million units). Annual foldable OLED shipments this year are also projected to reach 21.3 million units, a 14.4% decrease from last year.
Foldable phones have entered their fifth year of market release and are entering a mature market, but their ability to expand their consumer base is showing limitations. While leading brands like Samsung Electronics and Huawei are releasing new products one after another, the influx of new demand beyond replacement demand has slowed.
BOE of China has selected Taiwan’s ASUS as its first 8.6-generation customer.
According to industry sources on the 12th, BOE will supply the first panel produced at its 8.6th generation OLED panel production line (B16) in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China to Taiwanese laptop manufacturer ASUS.
It is intended for use in 14-inch notebook OLED panels. Chinese electronics manufacturer Oppo is also scheduled to supply related panels for its smartphones. Currently, the contracted volume for Chengdu B16 is estimated at around 10 million units.
Harman Receives HDR10 Plus Certification, Capable of Delivering High-Resolution Images
Harman announced on the 13th that it has obtained HDR10 Plus certification, which allows users to experience HDR (High Dynamic Range) content in vehicles, in collaboration with Samsung Electronics and Panasonic.
Automotive displays certified with this certification can display HDR content even under a variety of lighting conditions within the vehicle. To obtain certification, a comprehensive evaluation is required, requiring the display to be able to deliver high-resolution images under a variety of driving conditions and environmental lighting conditions.
Source: Kipost.net
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