Nextin in talks with more Chinese firms after SMIC supply deal
With up to five local chip firms, including CXMT
Optical inspection kit maker Nextin was in talks with up to five Chinese semiconductor companies to supply its equipment, TheElec has learned.
Earlier this year, won a deal from Chinese foundry SMIC to supply its Aegis 2 kit, a deal worth around 6 billion won.
Nextin will supply the kits through Beijing E-town Tech co to the Chinese chip firm.
The South Korean equipment maker manufactures optical inspections kits used to look for defects in chips.
It was currently focusing on dark field equipment over bright field equipment as the former operate faster, but its kits usually offer both options.
It currently supplies its kits to South Korean chip giants Samsung and Sk Hynix.
Last year, Nextin posted annual revenue of 49.4 billion won, 60% of which came from China.
It had supplied its Aegis-DP kit to Chinese memory firms YMTC and JHICC that year. It had also supplied its kits to SK Hynix’s subsidiary in Wuxi.
People familiar with the matter said SMIC was asking for more kits, while the South Korean firm was also conducting product tests with CXMT.