🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Hanmi is using its US base to extend a lead in memory packaging tools

• Hanmi has 71.2% of the global market by revenue for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) thermo-compression (TC) bonders, the equipment used to make HBM as AI chip demand grows 1.
• The company reached annual revenue of 576.7 billion won (US$386 million) and an operating profit margin of 43.6% in 2025 2.
• Its patent portfolio runs deep, with 150 patents tied to HBM equipment, including filings in progress or planned 3.

Large cloud groups now have a bigger say over the AI supply chain

• Hanmi’s move to San Jose puts it closer to hyperscalers, large cloud and internet companies that build and run vast computing infrastructure 4.
• Microsoft and Google now review and choose the high-performance memory used in AI chips, along with some of the equipment used to make it, as they develop their own semiconductors 4.
• Hanmi can keep driving sales of TC bonders while spending 100 billion won (US$67 million) on a hybrid bonder plant in Incheon, a city near Seoul, due for completion in the first half of 2027 5.
• That plan supports near-term demand for HBM4 while readying the company for a wider move to hybrid bonding expected around 2029 to 2030 5.