The American company Intel and the South Korean firm SK Hynix are in negotiations to establish a collaboration focused on producing memory chips within the United States. This agreement is still in an initial stage and could materialize through two distinct paths: either by leasing an Intel fabrication unit located in Ohio, or by forming a joint venture with cloud computing corporations.
According to Reuters, it has not yet been specified what type of memory will be produced in the US. This situation puts pressure on semiconductor manufacturers from Taiwan and South Korea to increase their production capacity locally.
SK Hynix performed notably when listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange in July, achieving records and registering the largest amount of capital raised by a foreign company in that market.
However, implementing a factory in the US involves high costs. Sources consulted by the agency indicated that labor and construction expenses are higher in the country, while a large part of the industry's suppliers are based in Asia.
One of the alternatives discussed involves renting a section of the complex that Intel is developing in the state of Ohio. The American manufacturer had announced in 2022 an investment of up to US$100 billion (approximately R$514 billion) intended for building a vast semiconductor complex in the state.
Nevertheless, this undertaking has faced setbacks. The first two units of the hub, which were originally scheduled to begin operations last year, now project a start date of 2030 and 2031. The need to secure more financial resources for the works was one of the reasons that led Intel to divest 10% of its shares to the US government.
In this context, a partnership with SK Hynix could involve using part of the infrastructure planned by Intel. The second possibility would be the creation of a partnership between Intel, SK Hynix, and major cloud computing companies interested in securing memory supply for their respective data centers.
Another hurdle lies within South Korea itself. The production of advanced memory technologies in the United States may require governmental review, especially if it involves components classified as strategic for the country.
South Korea's Ministry of Trade, contacted by Reuters, clarified that decisions regarding production locations belong to the companies themselves. However, the ministry noted that projects involving a 'national core technology' must undergo an evaluation stipulated in the Industrial Technology Protection Act.
This could impact the eventual production of technologies such as HBM (chips highly sought after by the Artificial Intelligence industry) or certain generations of DRAM in the United States. Sources informed the agency that the South Korean government may also consider SK Hynix's investments during trade negotiations with Washington.
SK Hynix confirmed it is evaluating measures to expand its production bases but told Reuters that 'nothing has been determined at this stage.' Later, in a statement released on its website, the company declared that no deliberation had been made regarding a potential cooperation with specific companies or about memory manufacturing in the United States.