News
Samsung to sell semiconductor manufacturing equipment used for mature process nodes
Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 10:05 PM
Samsung is reportedly selling off manufacturing equipment primarily used in its legacy/mature process nodes. This move likely indicates a strategic shift away from older production lines to optimize costs or reallocate resources toward advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
Context
Samsung Electronics has launched a public bidding process to sell 123 idle semiconductor manufacturing tools as part of a strategic overhaul of its production lines. The sale, managed by Samsung C&T, includes 86 units from its Xi’an, China facility and 37 units from its South Korean plants. These assets primarily consist of general-purpose equipment used for mature process nodes in the 90nm to 65nm range, as well as some 8-inch (200mm) wafer tools. This divestment follows a rebound in Samsung Foundry utilization, which exceeded 80% in the first quarter of 2026.
This move signals a decisive shift toward high-margin, advanced technologies as the company optimizes its NAND flash operations. At the Xi’an site, which accounts for roughly 40% of Samsung’s total NAND output, the company is phasing out 128-layer V6 NAND in favor of mass-producing 236-layer V8 and upcoming 286-layer V9 generations. By offloading legacy equipment, Samsung aims to improve operational efficiency and prioritize the premium segments required for AI infrastructure and enterprise-grade SSDs.
Sources (8)
Samsung auctions 123 chip tools during Xi'an NAND upgrade to V8[News] Samsung Electronics Exits LED BusinessSamsung reportedly focuses on 2nm process: US wafer ...2026 Kickoff: A Pivotal Shift in the Global Chip Industry – U.S. Adjusts Equipment Export Policies toward China, TSMC and Samsung Secure Annual Licenses-Keming Electronics Development Co., Ltd.300mm comes under pressure from the 200mm waferFab disposition newsletter and semi update, Q1 2026 - ATREG, Inc.TSMC 2nm Orders Run to 2028: The Compound Constraint AI Chip Consensus Has Not Modeled | Paradox Intelligence ResearchWhat is Growth Strategy and Future Prospects of Samsung SDI Co Company? – Pestel-analysis.com
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