SK hynix orders $28.7 million in HBM4 gear from Hanmi Semiconductor

SK hynix placed a 44.2-billion-won ($28.7 million) equipment order with Hanmi Semiconductor to expand production of HBM4 chips bound for Nvidia's next-generation artificial intelligence platform, the Korea Times reported Monday.

The purchase, covering an estimated 15 units of Hanmi's TC Bonder 4.5 Griffin, underscores the mounting pressure on South Korean chipmakers to sustain supply for Nvidia's Vera Rubin AI platform as global demand for AI accelerators intensifies.

Hanmi Semiconductor will deliver roughly 15 units of its TC Bonder 4.5 Griffin through early September, according to the Korea Times. The thermo-compression bonding machines stack multiple DRAM chips together to manufacture HBM and are slated for installation at SK hynix's new M15X fabrication plant in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.

The TC Bonder 4.5 Griffin is an upgraded version of Hanmi's 4.0 model, first announced in May 2025, and is believed to have been optimized for SK hynix's specific production needs. At a typical market price of 3 billion won per unit, the 15-unit estimate accounts for virtually the full contract value.

SK hynix began mass production of HBM4 chips in September 2025. The fourth-generation high-bandwidth memory is built for Nvidia's Vera Rubin AI platform, which targets high-performance data center workloads.

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said his company is making every effort to guarantee a stable chip supply to Nvidia and signaled a broader strategic realignment. "Most of our cooperation so far has centered on memory, but from now on, we will elevate our partnership to a higher level," Chey said, according to the Korea Times.

The order comes as global demand for AI accelerators continues to climb. SK hynix's M15X expansion represents one of the largest single-plant HBM investments in South Korea, positioning the chipmaker to sustain supply commitments as Nvidia scales Vera Rubin production.

Delivery of the TC Bonder 4.5 Griffin units is scheduled for completion by early September, at which point SK hynix expects to begin expanding HBM4 output at its Cheongju facility.