South Korean memory chip manufacturer SK hynix is exploring the possibility of entering US memory chip manufacturing, considering partnerships with Intel to address supply shortages and strengthen its competitiveness in the rapidly growing AI and data centre markets.
SK hynix is weighing a possible move into memory chip production in the United States, with discussions reported to be under way with Intel over ways to establish manufacturing capacity there. According to Tom’s Hardware, the options being discussed include leasing space at Intel’s Ohio plant, which is still under construction, or setting up a joint venture. SK hynix said it is reviewing a range of options to strengthen its competitiveness, but added that no specific plan has been agreed. Intel has not commented publicly.
If pursued, the arrangement would mark a significant shift for SK hynix, which already has a sizeable US presence in packaging and related work but does not currently make DRAM wafers in the country. Reuters-style reporting from technology outlets says the talks are being framed around memory supply shortages, particularly for data centres and artificial intelligence systems that rely heavily on high-bandwidth memory. PC Gamer reported that one reason for interest in the US is the chance to reduce tariff exposure while sharing the cost and risk of expansion with an established domestic partner.
The reported talks also sit alongside SK hynix’s broader US investment push. The company has already begun work on a $4 billion HBM packaging, testing and research plant in West Lafayette, Indiana, which is expected to start production later in the decade. Tom’s Hardware reported that the site is due to open its clean room in 2028, with full-scale output expected in the second half of 2029. The same report said the wider US chip industry remains short of skilled labour, with McKinsey and the SEMI Foundation projecting a deficit of as many as 157,000 workers by 2030.
Any Intel-SK hynix tie-up would also reflect a wider industry effort to localise semiconductor supply chains in the US. Memory makers are facing strong demand from AI infrastructure, while governments in Washington and Seoul are pressing for more domestic investment in advanced chips. Even so, the current talks remain preliminary, and neither company has indicated that a final decision is close.
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