US semiconductor company AMD also restructuring…cutting 1,000 jobs
AMD, a U.S. semiconductor company competing with Nvidia in the artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator market, has announced a large-scale layoff plan. Nvidia, which accounts for 80% of the AI accelerator market, is recording its best performance ever, leading to analysis that the semiconductor industry is also polarizing companies around AI.
According to foreign media outlets such as CNBC on the 13th, AMD announced on the 13th that it would “reduce its global workforce by approximately 4%.” According to AMD’s filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), AMD had 26,000 employees as of the end of last year. The plan is to reduce approximately 1,000 people, or 4% of that number.
TSMC cancels completion ceremony for US semiconductor plant next month… Trump’s influence?
According to the report, sources said TSMC recently notified those invited to the completion ceremony for its first factory in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States, that the event had been canceled.
The completion ceremony for the U.S. plant of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, scheduled to open early next month has been canceled, Taiwanese media reported on the 15th (local time), citing sources.
Sources said TSMC’s decision was related to uncertainty over US President-elect Donald Trump’s semiconductor policy. The interpretation is that the company judged it appropriate to hold the completion ceremony for the Phoenix plant after the outline of the semiconductor policy is revealed after President-elect Trump officially takes office on January 20th of next year.
Semiconductor equipment company ‘Tokyo Electron’ enters Yongin Techno Valley 2
Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province, announced on the 14th that the Korean branch of Tokyo Electron (TEL), a global semiconductor equipment company, will be moving into the 2nd Yongin Techno Valley general industrial complex currently being developed in Deokseong-ri and Muk-ri, I-dong-eup, Cheoin-gu.
Tokyo Electron Korea has secured 53,292㎡ (16,120 pyeong), which is 19.6% of the total area of 271,755㎡ (82,205 pyeong) of the 2nd Yongin Techno Valley general industrial complex, and plans to expand its domestic business by moving into this industrial complex.
Prior to this, Tokyo Electron Korea secured a 27,032㎡ (approximately 8,177 pyeong) site in the ‘Wonsam General Industrial Complex’ currently under construction in Jukneung-ri, Wonsam-myeon, Cheoin-gu in January to establish an R&D center.
Japanese Engineer Learns Technology from ‘Semiconductor Legend’ Jim Keller
According to industry sources on the 15th, Tensorrent has decided to invite approximately 200 Japanese semiconductor engineers to its Santa Clara, California, U.S. branch over the next five years to develop cutting-edge AI and ML (machine learning) technologies. This will provide excellent Japanese engineers with the opportunity to learn and practice Tensorrent’s cutting-edge technologies.
This program is an engineering education program based on the full support of the Japanese government. It was supported by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), a Japanese national research and development agency, and the Japan Advanced Semiconductor Technology Center (LSTC). Japan is making all-out efforts to revive the semiconductor industry by pouring in massive subsidies, centered on Rapidus.
Japan’s JSR breaks ground on semiconductor core material plant in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province… Mass production in 2026
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on the 12th, JSR held a groundbreaking ceremony for a metal photoresist (MOR) plant, a key material for the semiconductor extreme ultraviolet (EUV) process, at the Ochang Science Industrial Complex in North Chungcheong Province.
Established in 1957, JSR is the world’s number one company in the semiconductor photoresist market share, and first entered Korea in 2003 in Ochang, Chungcheongbuk-do. Since first entering Korea with the establishment of a display materials plant, JSR has steadily expanded its investment.
JSR has been investing in Korea to build a MOR production base for semiconductor EUV processes in addition to its existing display business in Korea. JSR is the first global company to build a MOR production base in Korea.
Isupetasis, 550 billion won in legacy… “Acquisition of material companies and expansion of facilities”
Isupetasis announced on the 11th that it is pursuing a paid-in capital increase of 550 billion won.
Of the total 550 billion won, approximately 250 billion won will be used for facility investment to build a new 5th plant and expand plants 1 to 4. This is because demand for MLB (multilayer PCB) is rapidly increasing due to the rapid growth of the AI semiconductor market, a front-end industry, and a preemptive response is necessary.
Isupetasys announced through a public notice that it will participate in the third-party allocation paid-in capital increase and convertible bonds issued by J.O, a material development company that has succeeded in commercializing CNT (carbon nanotubes), for a total of KRW 141.7 billion, including KRW 99.7 billion and KRW 42 billion, respectively. In addition, it will acquire 5.75 million shares (approximately 18.1%) of the shares held by the existing largest shareholder, Kang Deuk-ju, for approximately KRW 158.1 billion. Isupetasys will acquire approximately 30.1% of J.O’s shares and incorporate it as a subsidiary of the Isu Group.
Coasia wins Vietnam Edge AI semiconductor turnkey order
Coasia announced on the 14th that it signed a contract with Vietnamese semiconductor company Hyphendeux to design and supply AI vision processor semiconductors.
Hyphendeux is one of the promising semiconductor design companies in Vietnam, along with Viettel and FPT. It supplies edge AI vision solutions for smart cities, smart homes, and smart cars.
The product ordered by Coasia is a product that combines AI and image signal processing (ISP) technology. It will be installed in devices that require intelligent vision analysis, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), security, and medical devices.
Mintech, Anabatic Semi and EIS-equipped battery management chip development
Mintech announced on the 13th that it has decided to develop a battery management system (BMS) chip equipped with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in collaboration with Anabatic Semiconductor.
To this end, Mintech signed a strategic business partnership agreement (MOU) with Anabatic Semiconductor, a global semiconductor design and manufacturing company specializing in BMS.
The two companies plan to integrate the BMIC (Battery Management IC) and BDIC (Battery Diagnosis IC) into a single chip by utilizing Mintech’s EIS-based battery inspection and diagnosis technology and Anabatic Semi’s semiconductor chip design technology, and load Mintech’s EIS inspection and diagnosis algorithm and artificial intelligence (AI) functions onto this chip. Through this, the plan is to implement a platform that most precisely inspects and diagnoses battery performance and safety.
Daehan Oil & Gas succeeds in commercializing high-performance plastics… Applications to batteries, parts, etc.
On the 12th, Daehan Oil & Chemical announced that it had successfully commercialized ultra-high molecular weight polypropylene (UHMWPP) for the first time in the world and started full-scale sales.
UHMWPP is a thermoplastic plastic with a molecular weight of 1.5 million or more and has characteristics such as higher thermal properties, ultra-high strength, wear resistance, impact resistance, and a lower coefficient of friction than conventional polypropylene.
It can be applied to a wide range of fields, including separators for lithium secondary batteries, special clothing, industrial parts, automobile parts, and various equipment parts.
Gardneck, Japanese battery company penetrated… Secured up to 2.4 trillion won in sales by 2030
Gardneck supplies artificial graphite sheets to MK Plus, a Japanese vanadium solid-state battery (VSB) manufacturer.
Gardneck announced on the 13th that it recently signed a contract with Japan’s MK Plus to supply artificial graphite worth up to 2.4 trillion won by 2030. It plans to sequentially expand supply starting in February next year.
Established in 2010, Gardneck possesses ultra-precision thin film coating, high-temperature sintering heat treatment, and electrospinning nanofiber manufacturing technology. In 2014, it developed the world’s first roll-to-roll artificial graphite large-area production technology using high-temperature sintering heat treatment technology. The maximum production width is 500mm, which is nearly twice as wide as that of competitors. Artificial graphite is made by sintering polyimide film at high temperatures of several thousand degrees. It has a thermal conductivity that is five times higher than that of existing copper (Cu), and it is lightweight, making it highly versatile.
SFA turns to deficit due to ‘Northvolt shock’
Due to the bankruptcy of Northvolt Ett Expansion AB, a Swedish subsidiary of the company that is a key customer for secondary batteries, SFA’s operating profit for the third quarter turned into a deficit of KRW 147.4 billion on a separate basis and KRW 149.6 billion on a consolidated basis. This is because the related losses were recognized in full in the third quarter. Consolidated sales for the period were KRW 450.5 billion.
According to the company’s performance announcement on this day, the contract size received from Northvolt Ett Expansion AB, a Northvolt affiliate, and other affiliates is approximately USD 350 million (KRW 492 billion) for SFA, and approximately USD 120 million (KRW 168.7 billion) for CIS, a secondary battery equipment company and a subsidiary. The total contract amount on a consolidated basis amounts to USD 470 million.
Northvolt, which had been aggressively pursuing investment in secondary battery production lines, faced a liquidity crisis across the group due to delays in mass production at Plant 1, where a Chinese equipment company supplied the assembly and chemical processes on a turnkey basis. As a result, its affiliate filed for bankruptcy at a local district court on October 8.
China’s CATL, “If the US allows it, we will build a battery factory in the US”
On the 13th (local time), CATL founder and chairman Robin Zheng said in an interview with Reuters, “The U.S. government has rejected our investment in the past, but if permitted in the future, we will build a factory in the U.S.”
Trump told Reuters in August that while he wanted to block Chinese auto imports, he was “open to Chinese automakers coming to the United States, building factories and hiring American workers to build cars.” Zheng said Trump’s comments sparked his interest in expanding into the United States.
CATL’s products, which are known to receive massive subsidies from the Chinese government, are not eligible for the consumer EV subsidies enacted by the Biden administration, and Chinese EVs are also subject to a 100% tariff when exported to the US, making it impossible for the company’s products to be exported to the US.
Google’s self-driving Waymo significantly expands driverless taxi service in LA
Waymo, Google’s self-driving subsidiary, is significantly expanding its robo-taxi service in Los Angeles (LA), the largest city on the western United States.
Waymo announced on its blog on the 12th (local time), “The service is open to everyone in LA,” and “Starting today, anyone can use the fully autonomous ride-hailing service 24 hours a day with the ‘Waymo One’ app.”
Waymo received approval from California authorities in March to begin paid service in some areas of LA. However, the service scope and scale were limited, so only some of the applicants were able to use it.
Movensys Unveils Software-Based Autonomous Driving Robot Solution ‘Skylla Nova’
Movensys has introduced ‘Skylla Nova (hereinafter Nova),’ an AMR integrated solution implemented solely on a software basis.
Nova is a solution that combines WMX, a motion control solution from Movensys, and MIT-based autonomous driving technology at the software level. It consists of only one software without separate boards or hardware, and can control autonomous driving, robots, and wheels in real time. This allows multiple controllers consisting of robots, wheels, and autonomous driving in AMR to be replaced with one software, optimizing the efficiency of battery and powertrain space, and improving positioning and movement precision.
Rideflux, a SW developer for autonomous driving, selects Hantoo Securities as lead underwriter for listing
Rideflux, a startup developing software for autonomous driving, announced on the 13th that it has selected Korea Investment & Securities as the lead manager for its IPO. It aims to be listed on KOSDAQ in 2026 after applying for a preliminary review next year.
Founded in 2018, Rideflux is developing all the technologies (full stack) of software required for autonomous driving, including perception, positioning, prediction, planning, and control. It has been operating autonomous driving open services such as robotaxis and robot shuttles stably in various road environments, such as urban general roads and expressways.
Last June, it also obtained a temporary permit for unmanned autonomous driving, the first of its kind in Korea, capable of driving at speeds of up to 50 km/h without a human driver. Based on this technological prowess, it plans to enter the cargo transport market following the passenger market.
Hyundai Mobis Unveils 22 New Technologies for Electric Vehicles and Autonomous Vehicle Modules
Hyundai Mobis unveiled a number of new technologies in the module sectors, including chassis, cockpit, and front end, which are key to the competitiveness of future vehicles, on the 11th.
Hyundai Mobis has been expanding the introduction of emotional technologies that make modules lighter or smaller and increase convenience of movement based on design technology specialized for electric vehicles and autonomous driving. On this day, Hyundai Mobis held a ‘Module New Technology Achievement Sharing Meeting’ at its Uiwang Research Center in Gyeonggi Province and shared the research and development results of the three major automobile modules under development, including the chassis, cockpit (driver’s seat), and front-end modules, with customers and partners.
Hyundai Mobis presented a total of 22 technologies, including 12 domestically first new module technologies.
Japan’s Kyocera develops first ‘camera-lidar fusion sensor’
Japan’s Kyocera announced on the 11th that it has developed the first ‘camera-lidar fusion sensor’ that integrates a camera and lidar into a single unit.
It is said that a technology has been implemented that can acquire overlapping data without parallax in real time by integrating the camera and lidar into a single sensor based on independent optical design technology. Accordingly, the process of integrating each detection result has become easier, and it is explained that advanced object recognition has become possible by integrating the camera’s image data and the lidar’s distance data in real time without delay.
The lidar of this fusion sensor improves resolution by increasing the density of laser light irradiation, and can recognize even small obstacles at a distance. It can even detect a 30cm drop from 100 meters away.
LGD to Invest an Additional 1.4 Trillion Won in Vietnam Over 5 Years… “Strengthening OLED Competitiveness”
LG Display to invest an additional 1.4 trillion won in its production facility in Vietnam.
According to AFP and Reuters on the 15th, authorities in Hai Phong, Vietnam, announced on the same day that LG Display had received permission to increase its investment by 1 billion dollars (approximately 1.394 trillion won) over the next five years.
LG Display submitted and received approval for a long-term investment plan containing these contents to stabilize the operation of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) production. This investment to stably operate the OLED module factory is expected to further enhance the business structure that LG Display has been pursuing and the competitiveness of its OLED business.
Chemtronics Completes OLED Etching Plant in Sejong Cheongsong Agricultural and Industrial Complex
Chemtronics, a regional mid-sized company, has completed construction of an 8th generation OLED etching plant in the Cheongsong Agricultural and Industrial Complex in Jeondong-myeon, Sejong City, investing a total of KRW 94.9 billion.
The city announced that a completion ceremony was held on the 15th with Mayor Choi Min-ho, City Council Chairman Lim Chae-seong, and Chemtronics Chairman Kim Bo-gyun in attendance.
The new Chemtronics plant is a post-processing facility that thinly slices the 8th generation OLED for IT that Samsung Display has completed its pre-processing for. It is a 4-story building with a total floor area of 27,430 m2.
Source: kipost.net