[Edaily Reporter SOYEON KIM ] Solidigm, a U.S.-based subsidiary of SK hynix, is considering plans to establish a NAND flash production line in the Eastern United States. This comes as demand for NAND flash—including enterprise-grade solid-state drives (SSDs)—has surged due to widespread investment in artificial intelligence (AI) data center infrastructure. The move is seen as a step toward securing a local production base in the U.S.

According to industry sources on the 18th, Solidigm is reportedly examining potential sites and investment terms for establishing a NAND mass production line, primarily in the Eastern U.S. It is understood that specific details regarding the site, investment scale, and mass production timeline have not yet been determined.

Solidigm is a U.S. subsidiary established by SK hynix in 2021 following its acquisition of Intel’s NAND and SSD businesses. It currently operates a NAND production facility in Dalian, China, and maintains its headquarters and a research and development (R&D) center in the United States. Since it does not currently have a production line in the U.S., this facility would become its first local NAND production hub if built.

Analysts attribute this review to a combination of investment pressure in the U.S. and rising NAND demand driven by the expansion of the U.S. AI data center market. As increased investment in AI servers is driving up demand not only for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) but also for eSSDs, the NAND market is growing rapidly. With AI data center investments continuing, particularly among U.S. Big Tech companies, analysts suggest that producing NAND and SSDs locally could enhance the company’s ability to respond to customer needs.

SK hynix also explained in its recent earnings report that both DRAM and NAND flash recorded significant price increases, continuing the trend from the previous quarter. According to TrendForce, combined NAND revenue for SK hynix and Solidigm in the second quarter is estimated at approximately $14.27 billion (about 19.8 trillion won), an 89.5% increase from the previous quarter.

SK hynix is also continuing its efforts to expand its production base in the United States. Last month, the company broke ground on a state-of-the-art packaging hub in Indiana to produce AI memory, including HBM, and there has recently been talk of a potential partnership with Intel for memory production in the U.S.

The establishment of a Solidigm production line in the U.S. is still under consideration. A SK hynix official stated, “Solidigm is reviewing various options to strengthen its business competitiveness, but nothing has been finalized.”