三星优化产线布局，年内关闭一座8英寸晶圆代工厂

Core Viewpoint - Samsung Electronics is accelerating the restructuring of its foundry production lines by planning to close its 8-inch wafer foundry S7 in the Giheung area of South Korea within 2024, focusing resources on more profitable 12-inch production lines to enhance overall business competitiveness [1]. Group 1: Company Actions - Samsung currently operates three 8-inch wafer fabs in the Giheung area, with S6 and S8 remaining operational after the closure of S7 [2]. - Following this adjustment, Samsung's monthly production capacity for 8-inch wafers will decrease from 250,000 to below 200,000 wafers [2]. - The decision to close the S7 plant is driven by the overall operating rate of Samsung's 8-inch wafer fabs being around 70%, and the migration of core products like CMOS image sensors and display driver chips to 12-inch lines, leading to increased operational cost pressures [2]. Group 2: Industry Trends - The global capacity for 8-inch wafers is expected to decline by 2.4% year-on-year in 2024, with TSMC also reducing its related capacity since 2023, indicating a trend of capacity optimization within the industry [2]. - Despite the reduction in capacity, market demand remains strong, particularly due to the rapid growth of the AI server industry, which is driving high demand for power management chips [3]. - TrendForce predicts that the average operating rate of global 8-inch wafer fabs will rise to between 85% and 90% in 2024, prompting some foundries to plan price increases ranging from 5% to 20% [3]. - DB Hitek, a local foundry in South Korea, is expected to benefit from this capacity contraction, as its production capacity is fully utilized and it currently cannot accept new orders due to significant order backlogs [3].