Korean Wafer Inspection Equipment Manufacturer Nextin Establishes Plant in Wuxi, Production to Start in October

South Korea-based optical wafer inspection equipment manufacturer Nextin is set to establish a subsidiary in Wuxi, China, with production slated to commence in October. Initially planning a joint venture with another Korean company, Nextin ultimately decided to operate independently.

Nextin Wuxi: Scaling Up Production

The newly formed subsidiary, named Wuxi Nextin, will feature a facility three times the size of its Korean counterpart, with a projected tenfold increase in production capacity. Starting this October, the Wuxi plant will handle production, including final assembly of partially assembled equipment shipped from Korea. The project is supported by subsidies from the Chinese government.

Addressing Local Demand

Nextin’s decision to manufacture locally comes in response to growing requests from Chinese customers for on-site production. The company currently supplies 3D wafer inspection equipment IRIS-II to SK Hynix, a major chip manufacturer, and also offers AEGIS, a specialized tool for wafer defect detection.

Rapid Growth in Revenue and Profit

Nextin has seen robust financial growth, with third-quarter 2024 revenues reaching 347 billion KRW and an operating profit of 144 billion KRW, marking increases of 141% and 172%, respectively, compared to the previous year.