Samsung is desperately trying to get approval from NVIDIA for its 12-layer HBM3E chips. The Korean firm is currently redesigning the chip to improve Nvidia’s key evaluation score. Samsung will face Nvidia’s quality test in May 2025, though there is no guarantee that it will pass the test. Now, a new report says the Korean firm is transferring some of its foundry personnel to the Memory Manufacturing Technology Center, which focuses on developing memory chips. This could help the company to increase the production capacity of several memory chips, including its 6th-generation high bandwidth memory (HBM4).
Samsung transfers foundry personnel to the memory division as it doubles down on HBM4 tech
According to a report from the Korean outlet Chosun, Samsung has recently posted a ‘periodic job posting’ notice targeting personnel in the foundry division’s process, facility, and manufacturing areas. “Samsung Electronics notified its foundry division personnel through an email titled ‘Urgent Recruitment for Production of New Memory Products such as HBM and Next-Generation DRAM’ that it is conducting a job posting,” an industry insider said. “It is expected that they will further accelerate the production of next-generation products such as HBM4.”
The company plans to transfer more than ten people from the foundry division to the Memory Manufacturing Technology Center, Semiconductor Research Institute, and Global Manufacturing & Infrastructure Headquarters. The Memory Manufacturing Technology Center said that it is hiring to lead the next-generation HBM market. The Semiconductor Research Institute is looking for people to work on R&D to improve HBM and packaging technology. Speaking of the Global Manufacturing & Infrastructure Headquarters, it wants people to strengthen HBM and new product measurement, analysis, and equipment technology.
“It is true that we have the leeway to relocate personnel as we are having difficulty securing orders from big tech companies,” a semiconductor industry insider said. “There are concerns internally that the competitiveness of our foundry business will decline as the gap with TSMC continues to widen.”
Samsung has lost its position in the HBM market. While the firm has yet to pass Nvidia’s 12-layer HBM3E quality test, its rivals, SK Hynix and Micron, are already supplying HBM3E chips to NVIDIA. As a result, Samsung is focusing heavily on improving the quality of HBM4. On top of that, as mentioned above, Samsung is also getting ready to face Nvidia’s quality test again in May 2025. If it performs well, the company could pass Nvidia’s qualification for its 12-layer HBM3E chip.
