South Korean semiconductor equipment maker Hanmi Semiconductor (KRX: 042700) has established a U.S. subsidiary in San Jose, California, as chipmakers expand domestic production of advanced memory and packaging technologies to meet growing demand from artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
The company held an opening ceremony for Hanmi USA on October 16, attended by Chairman Kwak Dong-shin and senior executives. Hanmi announced the establishment on October 19, describing the new unit as a local base for technical support and closer cooperation with U.S. customers.
Hanmi USA will provide engineering support for equipment installation, operation, maintenance and performance optimization. The company plans to station experienced engineers in the region to respond to customer requirements and align service schedules with the commissioning of new semiconductor facilities.
The subsidiary marks Hanmi’s fourth overseas base, following its existing operations in Taiwan, China and Singapore. Establishing a presence in the United States is expected to help the company respond more quickly to customers as semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging capacity expands.
U.S. Packaging Investments Create Opportunities
Hanmi’s expansion comes as semiconductor manufacturers and packaging specialists commit billions of dollars to U.S. production facilities. These investments are expected to create opportunities for suppliers of equipment used to assemble, connect and process increasingly complex chips.
SK hynix is developing a $4 billion high-bandwidth memory (HBM) packaging facility in West Lafayette, Indiana. The company broke ground on the project in August, with operations scheduled to begin in the second half of 2028, according to Hanmi’s announcement.
Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) is developing memory manufacturing capacity in Idaho and pursuing a planned $100 billion semiconductor manufacturing project in New York state. Amkor Technology (NASDAQ: AMKR), a major outsourced semiconductor packaging and test provider, is investing $12 billion in an advanced packaging facility in Arizona.
The projects reflect broader efforts to expand semiconductor manufacturing and packaging capabilities within the United States. As new facilities progress toward production, equipment suppliers will need to provide installation support, process optimization and ongoing maintenance alongside their products.
For Hanmi, the San Jose office provides a local presence as it seeks to build relationships with U.S.-based manufacturers and compete for opportunities associated with the expansion.
Equipment Portfolio Targets AI Memory Demand
Hanmi is a major supplier of thermal compression bonders (TC bonders), equipment used to stack and bond dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) dies in the production of HBM. The technology is important to AI accelerators, which rely on high-bandwidth memory to move large volumes of data efficiently during computation.
HBM demand has increased alongside investment in AI computing infrastructure. Its stacked architecture requires specialized assembly processes, making bonding equipment an important part of the semiconductor packaging supply chain.
Hanmi’s product portfolio also includes 2.5D TC bonders for advanced packaging, flip-chip bonders and multi-purpose sawing and vision processing (MSVP) equipment used in package cutting and inspection.
These technologies serve different stages of semiconductor assembly and packaging. Their commercial prospects will depend partly on customer investment plans, production schedules and the equipment selected for individual manufacturing processes.
The company expects the expansion of U.S. memory and packaging capacity to create additional demand for its equipment. Local engineering support is intended to complement equipment sales by helping customers install systems, maintain performance and optimize production processes.
U.S. Presence Extends Hanmi’s Global Strategy
Hanmi said the establishment of its U.S. subsidiary also reflects the vision of its late founder, Kwak No-kwon, who sought to strengthen links between the South Korean and U.S. semiconductor industries. Kwak founded the company in 1980 after spending 14 years at Motorola in the United States.
Chairman Kwak Dong-shin said the United States was an important market for AI and advanced semiconductor technology. He said the company would focus on providing close technical support to local customers and expanding cooperation with global semiconductor companies.
The new subsidiary places Hanmi closer to a market where investment in chip manufacturing and advanced packaging is creating potential opportunities for equipment vendors. However, the opening itself does not establish the scale of future orders or confirm supply agreements with individual U.S. manufacturers.
As semiconductor companies bring new facilities online over the coming years, Hanmi’s ability to secure equipment orders and deliver responsive technical support will help determine how effectively it converts its expanded U.S. presence into business growth.
