U.S. semiconductor production could gain fresh memory capacity if SK Hynix shifts some manufacturing to Ohio, a move the companies have been discussing but which SK Hynix says remains undecided. Reports describe conversations with Intel that include the option for SK Hynix to lease space at Intel’s planned Ohio factory and talk of a joint venture that could involve cloud-service providers as partners or customers, though the firms have not finalised any arrangement.
SK Hynix framed the talks as exploratory. “SK Hynix is exploring various options to strengthen its global competitiveness, but no specific plans or arrangements have been finalized at this time,” the company said. “No decisions have been made regarding the two scenarios mentioned in the article.”
The discussions come as demand for high-bandwidth memory used in data centres running AI workloads has strengthened SK Hynix’s business case for expanding capacity. The company is already deploying capital in the U.S. through a separate $3.8 billion advanced packaging and research facility in West Lafayette, Indiana, where DRAM wafers made in South Korea will be packaged into HBM chips, with mass production expected to begin in 2029.
It is not yet clear what types of memory would be built in Ohio if an agreement is reached. Any plan to move production overseas would also trigger commercial and regulatory questions. Seoul says the decision remains SK Hynix’s to make, and South Korean law permits a government review of proposals that could transfer strategically important chip technology abroad.
U.S. policy aims to expand domestic semiconductor manufacturing and includes levers such as tariffs and tariff relief designed to influence onshore investment. The companies already have commercial ties: Intel sold its NAND flash-memory business to SK Hynix in 2020 for $9 billion. SK Group’s chairman has previously expressed support for building U.S. factories where feasible, and the group listed American depository receipts on Nasdaq in July to broaden U.S. investor access.
Intel did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. The outcome now hinges on further negotiations, potential regulatory review in Seoul, and decisions about which memory technologies, if any, would be produced on U.S. soil.
