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Samsung and SK Hynix began testing AMEC’s etching equipment about two years ago…

2026-08-05 · 02:24 UTC ·@jukan05 ·1 min read

Brief

Samsung and SK Hynix are testing Chinese vendor AMEC’s etching equipment—tests started about two years ago—as a hedge against potential U.S. restrictions on servicing or replacing Western tools. Their Xi’an, Wuxi and Dalian fabs today depend on Applied Materials and Lam Research; AMEC’s ~20–30% cheaper tools with narrowed tech gaps could validate AMEC and challenge established suppliers.

Why it matters

Samsung and SK Hynix began testing AMEC’s etching equipment about two years ago as a contingency if U.S. sanctions extend to servicing, repair, or replacement of Western tools.

Key details

  • Samsung’s Xi’an NAND plant and SK Hynix’s Wuxi DRAM and Dalian NAND fabs currently rely on Applied Materials and Lam Research; Chinese tools like AMEC are ~20–30% cheaper and have narrowed gaps in etch, deposition, cleaning, and planarization.
  • Approval or wider adoption by Samsung or SK Hynix would give AMEC major technical/commercial validation and could pose a long-term competitive threat to Applied Materials, Lam Research, and KLA.
Source evidence

REUTERS: SAMSUNG AND SK HYNIX ARE EXPLORING THE ADOPTION OF CHINESE-MADE EQUIPMENT AS U.S. SANCTIONS COULD MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO BRING EQUIPMENT INTO THEIR CHINA FABS

According to Reuters sources, the two companies began testing AMEC’s etching equipment about two years ago, although no decision has yet been made on broader deployment.

The aim is not to expand production capacity in China, but to keep Chinese suppliers in reserve in case U.S. restrictions are extended to the servicing, repair, or replacement of existing Western equipment.

Samsung operates a NAND plant in Xi’an, while SK Hynix operates a DRAM plant in Wuxi and NAND facilities in Dalian. These plants currently rely heavily on etching equipment from U.S. suppliers such as Applied Materials and Lam Research.

AMEC’s equipment is already used by Chinese chipmakers including YMTC. Chinese tools are about 20% to 30% cheaper than comparable foreign equipment, while the technology gap has also narrowed in areas such as etching, deposition, cleaning, and planarization.

Approval from Samsung or SK Hynix would provide AMEC with significant technical and commercial validation and could, over the longer term, pose a threat to established global equipment suppliers such as Applied Materials, Lam Research, and KLA.