SK hynix Holds First Partners Day in Japan for Key Local Suppliers
SK hynix has held its first Partners Day in Japan, bringing together executives from more than 20 key local business partners in Chiba Prefecture. The company said the event was meant to share its business direction and strengthen ties as AI drives rapid growth in memory demand.
- SK hynix held its first Partners Day in Japan on the 29th in Chiba Prefecture.
- Executives from over 20 key local partners attended, across materials, equipment, back-end processing and testing, and components and infrastructure.
- The company shared its business status, mid-to-long-term direction and technology roadmap so partners can prepare investments and capacity.
- Similar annual gatherings have long been held in Korea, but this was the first in Japan.
- Tokyo Electron's COO Hiroshi Ishida said early roadmap sharing supports its technology and investment decisions.
A Korean tradition moves to Japan
According to SK hynix, the event took place on the 29th in Chiba Prefecture. It drew executives from over 20 of the company's key business partners in Japan, spanning five sectors.
- Materials: companies such as Shin-Etsu, SUMCO, JSR and Namics
- Equipment: companies such as Tokyo Electron (TEL) and SCREEN Holdings
- Back-end processing and testing: companies such as DISCO and Advantest
- Components and infrastructure: specialist companies in these areas
SK hynix has long held similar gatherings each year in Korea, inviting executives from major partners to hear about its business direction and technology vision. This was the first time it staged one in Japan. Because of that significance, the event drew many key executives and working-level staff, including Chief Production Officer (CPO) Lee Byeong-gi, Vice President Youjong Kang, head of Procurement, and Vice President Woojin Choi, head of Package & Test.
What was shared with partners
Vice President Youjong Kang opened the event, followed by a congratulatory address from Shin-Etsu Chairman Fumio Akiya. Vice President Hyunchul Lee, head of the Procurement Strategy, presented the company's business status and its mid-to-long-term business direction. Vice President Sunghoon Lee, head of the R&D Process, gave a detailed introduction to key technologies under development and the roadmap for future technology development.
SK hynix said that sharing this information ahead of time lets partners gauge demand in advance and prepare their facility investments and production capacity accordingly. The company plans to keep improving the stability of its local supply chain through such close communication.
Statements from SK hynix and Tokyo Electron
CPO Lee Byeong-gi stressed the relationship between the two countries. "Korea and Japan have a complementary relationship," he said. He added that the capabilities of Japanese partners are a key factor in enhancing SK hynix's technological competitiveness, and that the company plans to expand collaboration to jointly advance the semiconductor ecosystems of both countries.
Vice President Youjong Kang said, "In the AI era, close collaboration with our materials, components, and equipment partners is key to semiconductor competitiveness." He said that by working as "one team" with Japanese partners, SK hynix aims to respond to next-generation technology challenges and secure technologies and stable supply capabilities to support growth of the AI memory market.
Hiroshi Ishida, Chief Operating Officer of Tokyo Electron, said memory manufacturing processes are becoming more sophisticated "at an unprecedented pace" with the advancement of AI. He said that sharing mid-to-long term roadmaps with SK hynix early on and keeping close cooperation at the management level provide a strong foundation for Tokyo Electron's technology development and investment decisions.
What it means for the supply chain
The event shows how a memory maker is using early disclosure of its roadmap to coordinate with suppliers of materials, equipment and testing. By giving partners visibility into demand, SK hynix says it hopes they can plan investments and capacity in time. Tokyo Electron's COO described the early sharing of roadmaps as a foundation for its own technology and investment decisions, and said the two companies will work together from the early stages of development to support semiconductor manufacturing in the AI era.
