A wave of large-scale hiring and line expansions is sweeping through the semiconductor materials, parts and equipment (SME) and outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) industries. As Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which regained profitability thanks to a surge in memory prices, expand capital expenditures (CAPEX), the trickle-down effect is showing up as higher utilization rates and workforce expansion at partners.
According to the industry on the 27th, HANA Micron's Vietnam subsidiary, HANA Micron Vina, recently announced an urgent hiring of 500 production workers. The addition of 500 people goes beyond simple backfilling of vacancies. It strongly suggests preparations for capacity expansion to meet rising volumes of server high-capacity memory and AI packaging. In particular, as volumes of high bandwidth memory (HBM) and high-value DDR5 expand, analysis indicates a full-scale shift to full operation of packaging and test lines.
This trend is spreading across the OSAT industry. Major domestic back-end firms such as APACT and WINPAC are also expanding hiring of engineers and technical staff to prepare for a surge in HBM and DDR5 test volumes. Because of HBM's stacked architecture, the test process is complex and time-consuming, giving high value added to back-end processing per wafer. Increases in output at front-end memory makers translate not just into higher volumes but directly into higher back-end unit prices and improved profitability.
Equipment makers are also busy. Jusung Engineering, Wonik IPS and HANMI Semiconductor are securing large numbers of installation, setup and maintenance personnel for deployment to the Pyeongtaek and Yongin clusters and overseas production bases. That is because memory makers are resuming investments delayed during output cuts, while simultaneously transitioning to advanced processes and expanding capacity for HBM, leading to a rapid recovery in equipment orders. In particular, as demand grows for equipment supporting TSV, hybrid bonding and high-stack processes, some equipment makers report that order backlogs are piling up quickly, with longer lead times for next-generation process tools.
This hiring expansion means more than a simple cyclical rebound. As AI server investment structurally expands, the demand for high-value memory centered on HBM is increasingly likely to persist. A virtuous cycle is forming: rising memory prices → improved manufacturer profitability → expanded capital expenditures → higher partner utilization and job creation.
There are variables, however. Rising labor costs due to a rapid increase in personnel demand and competition to secure seasoned engineers could pressure partners' margins. Also, because HBM demand is concentrated among specific customers and the AI investment cycle, any moderation in capital spending by front-line big tech could increase volatility.
A semiconductor industry official said, "This hiring rush is closer to a signal of structural change than a short-term rebound," while also noting, "The more the concentration on HBM intensifies, the more polarization will emerge in which technological prowess and customer portfolios determine results."