Hanmi Semiconductor’s headquarters Plant No. 1. (Image courtesy of Hanmi Semiconductor)
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Hanmi Semiconductor said it will introduce a customer rewards program this year, offering credits equivalent to 2 percent of equipment order values — a first in the global semiconductor equipment industry — as it looks to deepen long-term partnerships and reinforce its competitive edge in the fast-growing market for artificial intelligence chips.
Under the newly launched Hanmi Credit System, customers earn credits once full payment is completed following equipment delivery. The credits can be redeemed toward future purchases once they accumulate beyond a set threshold and remain valid for five years, the company said Friday.
The move comes as Hanmi consolidates its leadership in equipment used to manufacture high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a critical component for AI processors.
The company commands roughly 71 percent of the global market for thermal compression bonders, or TC bonders, according to industry research cited by Hanmi. TC bonders are essential tools that precisely bond memory chips under high heat and pressure during HBM production.
The photo shows Hanmi Semiconductor’s “TC Bonder 4” for HBM4. (Photo provided by Hanmi Semiconductor.)
Demand for such equipment has surged alongside the rapid expansion of the AI semiconductor market. Hanmi entered the HBM equipment sector in 2017 with the world’s first TSV dual-stacking TC bonder and has since built a broad portfolio of proprietary technologies covering both non-conductive film and mass reflow-molded underfill processes. The company holds or has filed about 150 patents related to HBM equipment.
In July last year, Hanmi began mass production of its TC Bonder 4 for sixth-generation HBM4 chips and plans to launch a next-generation wide TC bonder by the end of this year. It is also investing 100 billion won (about $74 million) to build a hybrid bonder factory in Incheon, scheduled for completion by late next year.
Market researchers at TechInsights estimate that Hanmi generated $247.7 million in TC bonder sales through the third quarter of 2025, maintaining a commanding lead over competitors including Semes, ASMPT and Yamaha Robotics.
While the TC bonder market is expected to go through a period of normalization in 2025, TechInsights projects a renewed upswing starting in 2026, with annual growth averaging about 13 percent through 2030.
By pairing financial incentives with continued technological investment, Hanmi is positioning itself to capture sustained demand from memory makers racing to supply the infrastructure behind the AI boom.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
