Chinese memory manufacturer CXMT is reportedly making its way into laptops from major PC manufacturers HP, Asus, and Acer. This development comes as CXMT, the world's fourth-largest memory maker, recently saw its shares surge by 466% during its initial public offering, establishing it as one of China's most valuable companies. Nikkei Asia reports that CXMT's chips are being used in a limited capacity in some notebook computers, a move that appears to be a strategic decision by both the manufacturer and its partners.
CXMT is prioritizing Chinese companies with existing relationships, such as Huawei, while PC makers are reportedly receiving limited supplies to avoid disrupting relationships with leading global memory chipmakers like Micron, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix. The notebook models featuring CXMT chips are said to be available in markets outside of the United States. Asus declined to comment, while HP did not respond to requests for information. Acer stated that while they do not disclose suppliers, they maintain close contact with multiple global manufacturers to dynamically adjust operations and manage component price changes, enhancing supply chain resilience.
CXMT currently holds a 7% market share in global DRAM revenue, though the top three memory makers still dominate over 90% of the market. The company's expanded presence could be further bolstered by its ambitious expansion plans, including a reported second chip plant in Beijing and new facilities in Shanghai and Hefei, aiming to double its production capacity to 600,000 wafers per month. This expansion aligns with industry predictions that the global memory crisis may not abate until 2029 or later, with Samsung anticipating a severe supply crisis next year and limited visibility beyond 2029. SK Hynix also expects customer demand to exceed its supply capacity well past 2030.
The memory crisis, characterized by demand significantly outstripping supply and driving up RAM prices, has created an environment where new entrants like CXMT can find market opportunities they might not have in a more saturated market. While the full impact of CXMT's growth on the ongoing memory crisis is yet to be seen, its increasing production capacity and integration into mainstream laptops suggest a growing influence in the global memory market.