Abstract:
As the global artificial intelligence boom continues to drive up demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), Chinese DRAM manufacturer Changxin Memory (CXMT) is accelerating the expansion of production capacity, hoping to fill the supply gap in the traditional memory market.
According to the latest research from TrendForce and Counterpoint Research, Changxin Memory will significantly increase its DRAM manufacturing capabilities in the next few years. The most eye-catching thing is that the company expects to add more than 100,000 wafers per month in the next year, increasing the total monthly production capacity from the current approximately 320,000 wafers to more than 420,000 wafers. By the end of 2028, its monthly production capacity is expected to further jump to 600,000 pieces, an increase of 87.5% from current levels.
Research institutions believe that as major global memory manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Micron invest a large amount of resources into HBM products with higher profits and stronger demand, the general DRAM market is experiencing a tight supply situation. HBM needs to stack multi-layer DRAM chips and use complex and advanced packaging technology, so large manufacturers are prioritizing the needs of AI server and data center customers.
In contrast, Changxin Memory’s current focus is still on standard DRAM products. Due to the relatively low manufacturing difficulty and technical threshold of general-purpose DRAM, the company is able to devote more resources to expanding production capacity and targeting the consumer electronics market that is most obviously affected by the memory shortage.
Data shows that Changxin Memory plans to increase DRAM production capacity by 31% in 2027 and by 87.5% in 2028. One of the important forces driving the expansion will be the newly planned production facilities in Beijing. Previous news has shown that the project is seeking support from the government to speed up the construction process.
Industry analysts believe that Changxin Memory’s new production capacity will mainly flow to the general DRAM market for the consumer electronics field. This market has been under continued pressure in recent years as the AI industry has absorbed a large amount of storage resources, causing manufacturers of PCs, smartphones and other consumer electronic equipment to face rising procurement costs and tight supply.
In this context, Apple is widely believed to be seeking to purchase memory products from Changxin Memory to meet the needs of related equipment in the Chinese market. There was even news in the market that during the price negotiation process, Changxin Storage rejected Apple's request for a price reduction and offered an offer that was comparable to or even higher than that of international storage giants such as Samsung.
Analysts pointed out that if Changxin Memory can complete its production expansion as planned, it will become an increasingly important supply force in the global general-purpose DRAM market. As international storage manufacturers continue to allocate resources to the AI and HBM fields, this Chinese company may play a key role in easing the memory supply pressure in the consumer electronics industry in the next few years.
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