South Korea’s SK hynix is reportedly considering outsourcing part of its HBM4E base-die production to Intel Foundry, suggesting that its current reliance on TSMC could change.
South Korean memory giant SK hynix is reportedly considering outsourcing production of its HBM4E-generation base dies to Intel Foundry, with the aim of diversifying its HBM base-die supply chain. A possible shift in the current exclusive reliance on TSMC has been noted.
The base die forms the bottom layer of the HBM structure and is a key component responsible for logic functions. Base-die costs are expected to rise with the HBM4E generation, and the cost of production by TSMC is reportedly about 3–4 times that of the core dies produced in-house by SK hynix. This is said to be the background to the move to diversify suppliers.
According to reports, Intel Foundry could join the HBM4E-generation supply chain, and SK hynix is expected to gain additional options in terms of cost management and supply stability. Market participants have also suggested the possibility of broader future cooperation with Intel in chip production and advanced packaging.
In response to some of the reports, SK hynix issued a statement saying that it could not confirm the details concerning its technology roadmap and that some of the content differed from the facts. While it has not denied the possibility of discussions with Intel itself, the specific scope and timing remain unclear.