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Rendering of SK Hynix’s advanced packaging plant in Indiana, U.S. / SK Hynix

Global construction project management specialist HanmiGlobal is handling project management for SK Hynix’s semiconductor plant in the U.S.

HanmiGlobal said on Sept. 21 that it is providing construction project management services for SK Hynix’s high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, packaging plant under construction in West Lafayette, Indiana.

SK Hynix held a groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 27 local time at Purdue University’s Holloway Gymnasium in West Lafayette for the advanced packaging production base for artificial intelligence memory. The facility will be SK Hynix’s first AI memory production hub in the U.S., with total investment exceeding $4 billion. Excavation work began in March, and completion of the cleanroom is targeted for October next year.

HanmiGlobal has participated in the project since the pre-construction stage in August 2024. It will continue managing the overall construction process through 2028, when the cleanroom is scheduled to be completed.

Its responsibilities include managing Korean and U.S. partner companies as well as design, scheduling, cost, quality, safety and risk management.

As more Korean high-tech companies build production bases in the U.S., the importance of PM specialists with both engineering expertise and an understanding of local construction practices is growing.

The U.S. differs from South Korea in procurement systems, contracting methods, permitting procedures and labor conditions, making an understanding of local regulations and business conditions an important factor in ensuring stable project execution and investment performance.

Semiconductor production facilities in particular require close coordination of cleanroom construction, utility infrastructure such as electricity, water, gas and exhaust systems, and production equipment installation schedules.

That is why PM companies are needed to integrate and manage the work of various participants, including designers, contractors and equipment suppliers, on behalf of project owners.

HanmiGlobal is currently providing project management services for around 20 advanced industrial facility projects being pursued by Korean companies in the U.S., including semiconductor, secondary battery and submarine cable production bases.

The company said it is expanding its track record in U.S. construction projects by coordinating work between Korean project owners and local participants.

                                                                                                           Jeon Won-jun