Cheongju: SK hynix Inc. has begun installing production equipment at its new fabrication plant under construction in central South Korea, with the goal of starting operations next year, industry sources said Monday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean chipmaker has started installing production equipment in the cleanroom of the M15X fab in Cheongju, 111 kilometers south of Seoul. The facility will serve as the company's main hub for producing high bandwidth memory (HBM) products.

The M15X is an expansion of the existing M15 plant, with SK hynix aiming to complete construction this year. SK hynix has also relocated part of its workforce from its headquarters in Icheon, southeast of Seoul, to Cheongju in preparation for production.

The new M15X fab is expected to solidify SK hynix's leadership in the HBM sector amid growing global demand. SK hynix recently completed preparations for the mass production of HBM4 and is currently in final-stage discussions with Nvidia Corp. over its supply.