SK Hynix, a global semiconductor giant based in South Korea, holds a ceremony celebrating the completion of an expanded fabrication plant (or 'C2F') in Wuxi National Hi-tech district on April 18. [Photo/wxrb.com]

SK Hynix, a global semiconductor giant based in South Korea, held a ceremony celebrating the completion of an expanded fabrication plant (or 'C2F') in Wuxi National Hi-tech district on April 18.

C2F is an expansion of the existing DRAM production line, C2, in Wuxi. The company decided to expand its production line in 2016 in order to solve issues regarding a shortage of production space due to technology migration.

About 500 people attended the ceremony, including Party Secretary of Wuxi Li Xiaomin, Vice Governor of Jiangsu province Guo Yuanqiang, Consul-General of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai Choi Youngsam, Chief Executive Officer of SK Hynix Lee Seok-hee, and various client and business partner representatives.

SK Hynix signed the agreement to build its local factory in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province, in 2004 and completed the production line (C2) in 2006 to start producing DRAM. C2 is the company's first 300mm FAB and has played a major role in SK Hynix's growth to date.

Facing shortages from technology scaling, the number of processes needed in the plant has increased and the equipment has become larger. With a total investment of $8.6 billion,the expanded fabrication plant project was signed.

Wuxi company of SK Hynix [Photo/skhynix.com.cn]

C2F is a one-story FAB with a building area of 58,000 square meters (316m long, 180m wide, 51m high), similar in size to the existing C2 FAB. SK Hynix has completed the construction of part of the cleanroom of the C2F, installed equipment and started producing DRAM.

With the new C2F, SK Hynix is expected to take over 45 percent of the DRAM production market in China. The annual sales of the Wuxi company is expected to reach $33 billion.

Guo Yuanqiang, vice governor of Jiangsu province, noted that South Korea is an important business partner of Jiangsu province. The completion of an expanded fabrication plant in Wuxi will promote the development level of Wuxi's electronic information industry and enhance the competitiveness of Jiangsu's manufacturing industry.