Hanmi Semiconductor announced on March 17 that its chairman, Kwak Dong-shin, plans to acquire an additional 3 billion won in company shares. This strategic move will increase his total investment in the company to 42.3 billion won since 2023, slightly boosting his shareholding from 33.97% to 34%. This acquisition is seen as a strong vote of confidence in the company’s future prospects and a strategic effort to consolidate control within the company.

Kwak’s decision comes amidst a rapidly evolving semiconductor industry landscape, where technological advancements and competitive pressures are at an all-time high. In a statement, Kwak expressed his belief in Hanmi Semiconductor’s technological edge over competitors like ASMPT and Hanwha Semitek, stating, “I believe there is a significant technological gap with latecomers like ASMPT and Hanwha Semitek.” He added that despite recent orders from SK Hynix, Hanwha Semitek would eventually only secure small orders, similar to ASMPT’s trajectory.

The semiconductor industry, known for its fierce competition and rapid innovation, is currently experiencing a surge in demand for high bandwidth memory (HBM) due to the growth of AI technologies, spearheaded by companies like NVIDIA. This demand has led to an increased need for TC bonder equipment, a niche where Hanmi Semiconductor excels. “With the growth of the AI semiconductor market led by NVIDIA, the demand for TC bonder equipment for HBM is exploding this year as well,” Kwak noted.

Hanmi Semiconductor is well-positioned to capitalize on this demand, with plans to ship over 300 TC bonders by 2025. The company boasts over 120 patents for HBM equipment and claims the world’s largest production capacity for HBM TC bonders. This robust portfolio is supported by 45 years of industry experience and a client list that includes major players like SK Hynix and Micron Technology.

Currently, Hanmi Semiconductor is supplying 5th generation HBM (HBM3E) 12-layer equipment to its major clients and is set to launch the new FLTC bonder (fluxless type) in the latter half of this year. Additionally, the company is developing hybrid bonding technology, which promises to revolutionize semiconductor connections by directly linking semiconductors to semiconductors or wafers, eliminating the need for traditional materials and enhancing signal transmission speeds.