Yangtze Memory Technologies, China’s largest flash memory maker, is targeting at least 60 percent domestic equipment, and as much as 70 percent, for a planned fourth factory in Wuhan, Reuters reported, citing two people familiar with the matter. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, and the plant would make NAND chips with more than 300 layers of memory cells, aimed mainly at data centre and artificial intelligence storage. YMTC has held only preliminary discussions with suppliers and has placed no formal orders.
The target steps up from just over half domestic equipment at YMTC’s third factory, which is due to begin operating later this year. Most additional orders are expected to go to Chinese toolmakers including Naura Technology Group and Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment for cleaning, polishing and etching, where Chinese suppliers already provide most of YMTC’s tools, while lithography and inspection equipment would still come from overseas suppliers. YMTC has been on the US Commerce Department’s Entity List since December 2022.