NXP Semiconductors to Close Four 8-Inch Fabs During 12-Inch Transition
Foreign media outlets, including Dutch media Die Gelderlander and China’s EE Times, reported on the 11th (local time) that NXP plans to close one factory in Nijmegen and three factories in the United States.
The Nijmegen fab is NXP’s largest production base, focusing on automotive semiconductor production, with approximately 1,700 employees. The closure is due to the use of old 8-inch wafer technology for industrial use, which results in low production efficiency. However, it is known that rather than an immediate closure, there is a possibility that it will undergo a transitional period of about 10 years.
Along with fab maintenance, NXP is also enhancing production efficiency based on 12-inch wafers. In Singapore, it plans to start mass production of 12-inch fabs from 2027 through VSMC, a joint venture with TSMC affiliate VIS, starting in June 2024, and has set a target of producing 55,000 300mm wafers per month by 2029.
Honda invests billions in Japanese semiconductor company Rapidus
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported on the 11th that Japanese automaker Honda is investing in domestic semiconductor company Rapidus. Honda plans to invest several billion yen (hundreds of billions of won) in Rapidus before March of next year.
Toyota Motor has already invested in Rapidus. If Honda also invests, Rapidus will be collaborating with the top 1 or 2 automakers in Japan.
Nikkei reported that Honda decided to invest in Rapidus to secure a stable supply of semiconductors.
TKG Huchems and KBSI Sign Agreement for ‘Semiconductor Heat Dissipation Material Technology Transfer’
TKG Huchems announced on the 11th that it signed a technology transfer agreement for semiconductor heat dissipation materials with the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI).
According to TKG Huchems, it will transfer the inorganic particle surface modification technology for semiconductor packaging from KBSI and begin developing a solution to solve the heat generation problem, which is considered a difficult problem in high-performance semiconductors.
The heat-dissipating material manufacturing technology developed by Dr. Lee Gye-haeng’s research team at KBSI is known to have excellent compatibility and process integration, allowing for flexible application of the technology without requiring large-scale equipment changes to existing semiconductor manufacturing lines.
“40% of DRAMs to be made in the US”… Micron announces 271 trillion won investment in the US
On the 12th, Micron announced a new investment plan aimed at establishing next-generation semiconductor manufacturing and packaging capabilities, including HBM, in the United States.
Micron announced that it will invest $200 billion (KRW 271 trillion) in cooperation with the Trump administration, including $150 billion in advanced memory semiconductor manufacturing in the United States and $50 billion in research and development (R&D). This is $30 billion more than the original plan.
Micron announced it is building a second advanced memory manufacturing fab in Boise, Idaho, and the world’s largest memory semiconductor “mega fab” in New York state. Micron said this will allow it to produce more than 40% of its DRAMs in the United States.
Qualcomm acquires British semiconductor company AlphaWave Semi for $2.4 billion
American semiconductor manufacturer Qualcomm is acquiring British semiconductor design company Alphawave Semi for $2.4 billion (about 3.2692 trillion won).
Qualcomm announced on the 9th (local time) through its newsroom that it had agreed to acquire Alphawave Semi. Alphawave has been developing semiconductor technology for data centers. It specializes in designing high-speed connection technology that can transmit data faster with lower power.
Qualcomm is pursuing business diversification into data centers, personal computers, etc. Qualcomm said, “The acquisition of AlphaWave Semi aims to further accelerate Qualcomm’s data center expansion and provide core assets.”
ChipSke begins mass production of 650V GaN power semiconductors
ChipScale, a company specializing in gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductor design, announced on the 9th that it will begin mass production of 650-grade gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors for the first time in Korea.
According to the company, ChipScale will produce four types of 650V power semiconductor devices based on GaN-on-Si (silicon-based GaN) technology through overseas foundries and target the next-generation power semiconductor market, including high-speed mobile chargers, AI (artificial intelligence) data centers, and industrial power supplies.
GaN is attracting attention as a key component of power infrastructure such as electric vehicles, energy storage systems (ESS), and data centers due to its high power efficiency, high-speed switching, high-temperature stability, and miniaturization compared to existing silicon (Si).
‘Semiconductor Wafer Cleaning Equipment’ LSI applies for preliminary listing on KOSDAQ
The Korea Exchange KOSDAQ Market Division announced on the 9th that it had received an application for preliminary listing review from LSI, a company that produces semiconductor wafer cleaning equipment.
LSI is a subsidiary of LTC that develops and produces stripping agents used in semiconductor and display processes. Last year, sales were approximately KRW 196.9 billion, and operating profit was approximately KRW 24 billion.
US GM: “We will produce electric vehicles using ‘NCM’-‘LMR’ batteries in the future”
General Motors (GM), the number one automaker in the U.S., is joining hands with a Korean company as part of its next-generation battery strategy to produce electric vehicles, led by square lithium manganese-rich (LMR) batteries, which are considered a rival to China’s lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. LMR batteries have the advantage of being as cheap as LFP batteries while being able to travel long distances.
In particular, it is advantageous in reducing costs by sharing the equipment line with nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) batteries. GM said that in the long term, it will focus on LMR batteries, which have similar prices to LFP batteries but better performance.
India’s Maruti Suzuki to cut EV production amid China’s rare earth restrictions
According to Reuters on the 11th, Maruti Suzuki decided to reduce production of the electric vehicle e-Vitara to less than a third of the original plan due to a shortage of rare earth metals caused by China’s export controls.
Maruti Suzuki had initially planned to produce 26,500 e-Vitara units between April and September this year, but has revised its production target to 8,200 units, Reuters reported, citing internal company documents. This is a 67.9% decrease from the original production target.
The company cited rare earth supply issues as the reason for the production cut. Rare earths are used in the production of motors for hybrid and electric vehicles.
Mintech Launches Rapid Diagnostic System for Electric Vehicle Batteries
Mintech announced on the 11th that it is launching an electric vehicle battery rapid diagnosis system. The system is a portable device that diagnoses the condition and safety of an electric vehicle battery within 10 minutes of installation. Until now, in order to accurately diagnose the condition of an electric vehicle battery, the battery pack had to be removed from the vehicle body and connected to an expensive charger and discharger worth hundreds of millions of won. It took more than 24 hours and cost millions of won.
The rapid diagnostic system allows the internal condition of a battery to be measured using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) by connecting it to an electric vehicle’s high-voltage terminal or rapid charging port without removing the battery pack from the vehicle.
BYD shortens payment deadline to 60 days… Will price competition in Chinese electric vehicles end?
On the 12th, China’s state-run media Xinhua News Agency reported that 17 Chinese automakers, including BYD, Chery Automobile, Xiaopeng, Xiaomi, SAIC Motor, and BAIC Motor, had announced that they would reduce the payment deadline for suppliers to 60 days. This measure came after China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology summoned representatives of 16 major companies last week and warned them about excessive price competition and habitual extension of payment deadlines.
“We support the automakers’ decision,” an official from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said, according to Xinhua News Agency. “We will continue to work to enhance the competitiveness of the auto industry and supply chain security.”
Recently, in the Chinese automobile market, a double-digit discount rate competition has taken place, with BYD offering large-scale discounts of up to 30%.
POSCO FutureM Gwangyang Precursor Plant Completed
POSCO Future M completed construction of a precursor plant with an annual production capacity of 45,000 tons in Gwangyang, Jeollanam-do on the 10th.
As the US-China conflict deepens and the trend of reorganizing the supply chain away from China intensifies, it is significant that a key base has been secured to complete the domestic secondary battery material self-sufficiency system. The Gwangyang precursor plant is built on a total area of 22,400㎡ (approximately 6,800 pyeong) within the site of the existing POSCO Future M Gwangyang cathode material plant.
The plant has the capacity to produce 45,000 tons of precursors per year, enough to produce batteries for 500,000 electric vehicles.
LG Chem to Sell Water Treatment Business for KRW 1.4 Trillion… “Reorganizing Core Businesses”
LG Chem is selling its water solution (water treatment filter) business within its advanced materials division to a private equity fund.
LG Chem announced on the 13th that it will transfer its water treatment filter business to Glenwood Private Equity (PE). The sale price is 1.4 trillion won. The water treatment filter business sales last year were 220 billion won, which is about 0.45% of LG Chem’s sales. The total assets are also 377 billion won, which is 0.4% of the entire company.
LG Chem plans to invest the funds secured through this sale in its core businesses. The company recently presented battery materials, eco-friendly materials, and reagents as its three new growth engines.
KNS, additional investment in Jongrui Korea… “Expanding production of 46-pie parts”
KNS announced on the 12th that it has decided to make additional investments to expand the Jongrui Korea plant.
The funds will be invested in proportion to the equity ratio through a paid-in capital increase, and the total investment size is expected to be around 40 to 50 billion won.
Zhongrui Korea is a joint venture established in August of last year by KNS, a battery parts automation equipment company, and Zhongrui, a Chinese battery parts company, to respond to export regulations to China.
Based on the additional investment, the company plans to build a new factory on a site of about 7,000 pyeong in the second half of this year. The company explained that once completed, it will be able to secure an annual sales production capacity (CAPA) of about 100 billion won.
Musk: “Robotaxis to be launched on the 22nd”
On the 11th (local time), CEO Musk replied to a user asking about the launch of the robotaxi service on the social network service (SNS) X (formerly Twitter), saying, “It is tentatively June 22nd. This date is subject to change as we are approaching safety issues very carefully.” He added, “The first Tesla that will autonomously travel from the end of the factory line to a customer’s home will be June 28th.”
He also stressed the need for unified federal regulations for self-driving cars, predicting that “by the end of next year, hundreds of thousands, or even more than a million Teslas will be operating autonomously in the United States.”
AI expert Laura Major named CEO of Hyundai Motor’s autonomous driving joint venture Motional
The Daewoo Group announced on the 13th that its board of directors has officially appointed Laura Major, an expert in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), as president and CEO of Motional, its US autonomous driving joint venture.
President Major, who has served as CTO since Motional’s founding in 2020, has served as Motional’s interim CEO since September of last year.
Motional introduced Major, who has successfully served as CTO, as the CEO at a time when the company is accelerating the development of AI technology ahead of the launch of its autonomous driving commercial service next year.
Twiny-Curly to Build Autonomous Robot-Based Logistics Warehouse Automation
Twiny announced on the 13th that it signed a business agreement with Kurly to explore logistics warehouse automation services utilizing autonomous robots. Through this agreement, the two companies decided to establish an automation service utilizing autonomous robots in Kurly’s logistics warehouse and conduct efficiency verification.
To this end, the ‘Carry Order Picking’ developed by Twiny will be installed at the Curly Pyeongtaek Center and tested for one month in the second half of this year.
Meta Unveils AI ‘World Model’ for Robot and Autonomous Vehicle Technology Development
Facebook’s parent company Meta Platform (hereafter, Meta) announced on the 11th (local time) that it is releasing a new artificial intelligence (AI) ‘World Model’ that can better understand 3D environments and the movement of physical objects.
A ‘world model’ is a system that allows AI to learn the rules of the physical world and simulate itself, and Meta explained that its own model, called ‘V-JEPA 2’, can understand, predict, and plan for the physical world.
He added that by building simulations based on the logic of the physical world before AI actually takes action, it can help AI learn, plan, and make decisions in a more human-like way.
Clobot and C-Tech Sign MOU for Joint Development of ‘AI Autonomous Driving Robot’
Clobot, an AI-based autonomous driving robot company, announced on the 13th that it has signed a business agreement (MOU) with IT healthcare platform company CITech and will begin jointly developing autonomous driving robot solutions for smart hospitals and public institutions.
This agreement is to develop and commercialize a convergence AI robot solution that can be applied to various fields such as ▲hospitals ▲libraries ▲public institutions ▲smart buildings by combining the core technologies of both companies, the autonomous driving platform and the on-premise AI computing system. The two companies plan to expand into the broad digital infrastructure market such as smart cities in the future.
Dongjin Semichem Grants OLED Material License to Merck and Idemitsu Kosan
Dongjin Semichem announced on the 12th that it has signed a ‘license agreement’ with Merck, a global electronic materials company in Germany, allowing the implementation of patents related to its self-developed Spirobifluorene OLED material patent.
This agreement authorizes Merck, a global market share leader with numerous OLED material patents, to enforce Dongjin Semichem’s spirobifluorene-based OLED material patents, with Dongjin Semichem becoming the patent licensor and Merck the patent licensee.
APS enters the eco-friendly aluminum-magnesium alloy new material business
APS is entering the eco-friendly ultra-light and high-strength alloy material ‘ECO-Almag’ business. The plan is to first apply it to necessary parts of affiliates within the group and then discover additional demand for aluminum-magnesium alloys in the automobile, shipbuilding, and information technology (IT) industries.
APS announced on the 9th that it has secured the position of second largest shareholder by investing in affiliate Zenith World and Bit, which possesses aluminum-magnesium alloy eco-almak technology.
APS also established a ‘Material Business Division’ within the group along with the investment. First, it will apply eco-almak materials to equipment parts through AP Systems, Nextin, and DENT, which are semiconductor, display, and secondary battery manufacturing equipment affiliates within the group. Afterwards, it plans to explore external demand and review investments to increase domestic production in line with the increasing demand trend.
“OLED TV shipments to reach 10 million units in 2028… Production line expansion required”
According to the ‘OLED Display Market Tracker’ published by market research firm UBI Research on the 12th, global OLED TV shipments are expected to exceed 10 million units by 2028 and continue to grow thereafter.
As the OLED TV market enters a full-fledged growth phase, attention is focused on the production expansion strategies of major panel manufacturers.
Recently, Samsung Electronics has been expanding its OLED TV lineup with W (white)-OLED panels and actively increasing its purchase of panels from LG Display. All panels for W-OLED TVs produced by Samsung Electronics are supplied by LG Display.
Source: kipost.net