Samsung Starts Scaling Back Chip Output Before an 18-Day Strike

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Samsung is trimming chip production ahead of an 18-day strike, risking DRAM, NAND, and HBM supply at a time of already tight memory markets.

Quick Report

Samsung is moving into emergency management mode and gradually scaling back chip production before an 18-day worker strike begins. The slowdown affects fabs tied to HBM, (LP)DDR5, and some custom logic work, with more than 43,000 workers reportedly joining the picket line.

TrendForce says the disruption could hit roughly 3% to 4% of global DRAM supply and about 3% of NAND flash supply, which matters because memory markets are already tight. The strike is expected to start on May 21 and may take another two to three weeks to recover from after it ends, leaving roughly six weeks of high-volume production at risk.

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