三星平泽P5晶圆厂据称即将启动逾10万亿韩元半导体设备订单

Samsung Nears Over KRW 10 Trillion in Semiconductor Equipment Orders for Pyeongtaek Plant 5

Samsung Electronics is beginning its investment in semiconductor equipment for Pyeongtaek Plant 5 (P5). The company is expected to finalize its selection of semiconductor equipment suppliers for the first production line shortly and is reportedly moving forward simultaneously with equipment procurement for the second line. Expectations are rising across the industry as equipment orders worth well over KRW 10 trillion appear imminent.

According to industry sources on the 15th, Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions division has entered the final stage of selecting semiconductor manufacturing equipment for Phase 1, P5’s first production line. The fab’s structural framework is currently being erected, while facilities for supplying specialty gases and chemicals used in semiconductor manufacturing are also under construction. Purchase orders are expected to begin once equipment selection for P5 Phase 1 is completed.

“Most of the equipment suppliers for the P5 Phase 1 line have already been decided, while the selection process for suppliers to Phase 2 and subsequent lines is proceeding at the same time,” said an industry source familiar with the matter. “Equipment orders for P5 are about to begin in earnest.”

P5 is planned as a massive three-story fab containing six cleanrooms. It will be larger than Samsung Electronics’ other fabs at its Pyeongtaek campus, which have two-story “double-fab” structures. Samsung aims to increase P5’s production capacity by more than 50% compared with its existing fabs. The plant is expected to manufacture cutting-edge DRAM products, including high-bandwidth memory (HBM). Samsung is also reportedly considering adding a semiconductor foundry line, depending on market demand.

Samsung Electronics has also begun selecting equipment suppliers for Phase 2, P5’s second line. Semiconductor fabs are generally developed sequentially in sections—such as Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3—based on each line’s intended purpose and operating schedule. The move suggests Samsung plans to bring equipment into Phase 2 quickly and accelerate the start of operations.

P5 was originally expected to become fully operational in 2028, but the first line, Phase 1, could begin operating as early as next year. The key variable will be equipment delivery lead times following the placement of orders. Samsung has asked its equipment partners to bring forward their delivery schedules as much as possible.

These moves are intended to enable Samsung to respond swiftly to conditions in the memory market. The global shortage of memory chips is intensifying as investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure expands. Samsung is therefore seeking to increase production capacity rapidly to meet surging demand. The strategy is also aimed at expanding its memory supply capabilities ahead of competitors and securing market leadership.

Although Samsung Electronics is planning semiconductor fab investments in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, and Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, its Pyeongtaek complex is currently the only location where it can immediately add large-scale production capacity in response to market conditions.

The semiconductor equipment industry is also paying close attention. Equipment purchases typically account for 70–80% of the cost of building a semiconductor fab, meaning P5’s equipment orders are expected to generate substantial benefits for suppliers.

“Samsung Electronics is contacting global and Korean equipment suppliers simultaneously as it prepares for large-scale equipment purchases,” said a semiconductor equipment industry official. “Given that P5 will be a state-of-the-art fab, supply opportunities will go to equipment makers that have secured a competitive edge through differentiated performance.”