The US Department of Commerce (DOC) decided on October 1, 2024, to impose countervailing duties (CVD) on solar panels imported from four Southeast Asian (SEA) countries: Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. These nations accounted for 80% of US solar energy product imports in 2023, with many involved companies being China-funded.
SK Hynix is set to diversify its supply chain for thermocompression bonding (TCB) equipment used in HBM manufacturing. The company acquired an order of 30 units of TCB machines from ASM Pacific Technology (ASMPT) in September 2024, South Korean media outlet TheElec reports. This move aims to reduce the firm’s dependence on Hanmi Semiconductor while ramping up its production of 12-layer HBM3E products.