Shafaqna English– Citing three sources familiar with the matter, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have initiated a thorough review of chip production equipment supplied by AMEC, a prominent Chinese manufacturer. The primary objective is to determine whether these tools could serve as viable alternatives in their Chinese fabrication plants.
This evaluation reflects a broader hedging strategy adopted by the Korean firms, designed to protect their operations against potential escalations in U.S. export control policies that might disrupt their current supply chains for American-made semiconductor equipment.
According to two sources, the evaluation process began nearly two years prior, when the Korean memory makers first started testing AMEC’s etching tools. At that time, uncertainty was steadily increasing over the future of U.S. export policies, particularly whether Washington would persist in allowing the importation of American semiconductor equipment into China.