Solidigm Seeks US License for China Chip Equipment
Solidigm is requesting a US export license to upgrade a Chinese facility to help fund a planned NAND chip factory in the United States.
Solidigm, the U.S. unit of SK Hynix, is seeking an export license from the U.S. Department of Commerce to install new NAND chip production equipment at an existing facility in Dalian, China. The company has made its plans to construct a new NAND factory within the United States contingent upon receiving this license, as expanded production in China would provide the necessary funding for the U.S. project.
This request occurs as the Trump administration pressures foreign semiconductor firms to relocate manufacturing to the U.S. to increase domestic capacity. The U.S. Department of Commerce has previously restricted chipmaking equipment exports to China to hinder the development of AI and military semiconductors, including the revocation of exemptions for Samsung and SK Hynix that officials described as a "Biden-era loophole."
To further finance its expansion in the United States, Solidigm is considering an initial public offering as early as next year.
