SK Hynix Inc. (KRX: 000660) is a South Korean memory semiconductor supplier of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips and flash memory chips. Hynix is the world's second-largest memory chipmaker (after Samsung Electronics)[2] and the world's sixth-largest semiconductor company.[3] Founded as Hyundai Electronic Industrial Co., Ltd. in 1983[4] and known as Hyundai Electronics, the company has manufacturing sites in Korea, the US, China[5] and Taiwan. In 2012, when SK Telecom became its major shareholder, Hynix merged to SK Group,[4] the third largest conglomerate in South Korea. The company's shares are traded on the Korea Stock Exchange, and the Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.
Hynix memory is used by Apple Inc. in some of their MacBook and Macbook Pro computers, by Asus in their Google-branded Nexus 7 tablet, is an OEM provider for IBM System x servers, and is used in PC desktops as well as the ASUS Eee PC. Dell and Hewlett-Packard have also used Hynix memory as OEM equipment.[2] Other products which uses Hynix memory include DVD players, cellular phones, set-top boxes, personal digital assistants, networking equipment, and hard disk drives.[3]
History
- 1949 Originally incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Korea[6]
- 1983 Founded as Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.[4] (The name Hynix comes from Hy in Hyundai and nix [from nics in Electronics])
- 1985 Started mass production of 256K DRAM
- 1993 Took over Maxtor (US HDD main factory)
- 1996 Initial public offering on the Korea Stock Exchange[6]
- 1999 Merged with LG Semiconductor Co., Ltd.[4][6]
- 2000 Spun off Hyundai Image Quest, Hyundai Autonet and Hyundai Calibration & Certification Technologies
- 2001 Changed the company name to Hynix Semiconductor Inc.;[6] spun off Hyundai Syscomm, Hyundai CuriTel, and Hyundai Networks; completed spin-off from Hyundai Group[6]
- 2002 Sold HYDIS, TFT-LCD Business Unit
- 2004 Signed System IC Business Transfer Agreement with System Semiconductor
- 2005 Emerged from Corporate Restructuring Promotion Act ahead of schedule
- 2006 Posted record the highest revenues since foundation
Established global manufacturing network with complete construction of Hynix-ST Semiconductor Inc.
Hynix's wholly owned manufacturing subsidiary in China
- 2007 Appointed Jong-Kap Kim as the new chairman & CEO
- 2009 Company put up for sale by its lenders after it defaulted on loans and a subsequent debt-equity swap
- 2010 Fine of €51.47 million for illegally fixing prices with eight other memory chip makers.[7]
In January 2010, Hynix Semiconductor Inc was put up for sale in an auction valued at close to $3 billion.[8][9]
On 31 August 2010, HP announced collaboration with Hynix to bring memristor to high volume manufacturing step (targeted for 2013).[10]
- 2012 SK Group, the third-largest conglomerate in South Korea, acquired a 21.05% stake in Hynix.[11]
- 2013 Fab 1 and Fab 2 in China both suffered a massive fire which took the factories offline temporarily.[12]
Products
A 1GB DDR2 SO-DIMM Hynix memory module
Hynix produces a variety of semiconductor memories, such as:
- Computing memory
- Consumer and network memory
- Graphics memory
- Mobile memory
- NAND flash
- CMOS image sensor
- Solid state drives (SSD)
See also
- List of Semiconductor Fabrication Plants
References
- ↑ "SK Hynix". Forbes.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lee, Youkyung (26 July 2012). "SK Hynix sinks to loss on oversupply, weak demand". Seoul, South Korea. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Analysis of SK Hynix". Dublin: Research and Markets. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Investor Relations: FAQ". SK Hynix. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
- ↑ Hynix completes new chip plant in China, Yonhap News Agency, 17 June 2010.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 "Hynix Annual Report 2003". Hynix.com. 2003. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
- ↑ EU fines Samsung Elec, others for chip price-fixing
- ↑ Business Week, 15 December 2009.
- ↑ "UPDATE 1-Hynix stake up for sale in auction again in Dec". Reuters. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
- ↑ HP Collaborates with Hynix to Bring the Memristor to Market in Next-generation Memory, HP.com, 2010.
- ↑ Hynix names Chey as co-CEO as SK completes $3 billion deal, Reuters, 14 February 2012.
- ↑ Hynix says fire did not cripple China chip-making plant, Reuters, 4 September 2013.
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Methodology: FY2012/13 applicable revenues of over: group 1-3, 6-12 - US$3 billion; group 4 - US$2 billion; group 5 - US$1 billion; group 13 - US$10 billion |
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US$ 6.8 billion (2010)[1]
US$ 298.4 million (2010)