Rumor mill: Solidigm can make more NAND flash at its Dalian factory in China and has buyers for every SSD it produces. What it lacks is US approval to bring in more chipmaking equipment. Parent company SK hynix is reportedly offering to build a NAND fab in the United States in exchange for permission to ship additional tools to Dalian. The proposal could help Solidigm increase production of the flash memory used in its data center solid-state drives while giving Washington a commitment to new American semiconductor manufacturing.

The equipment would go into unused space in Dalian's Mod B building. Completed in 2023, the building was never fully equipped because of the memory market downturn. Some tools are installed, but much of the space remains available.

For Solidigm, leaving that space idle limits sales. The company sells every SSD it makes, and more NAND output would let it supply more drives.

The Dalian plant is the only factory in the world producing Solidigm's 192-layer floating-gate 3D NAND. That memory goes into SSDs for AI, enterprise and hyperscale data centers.

The factory relies on equipment made by US suppliers, including Applied Materials, KLA and Lam Research. Those companies need export licenses to ship their tools to China.

US policy has generally allowed some equipment deliveries to Chinese factories operated by multinational companies such as SK hynix and Samsung. But Washington wants those plants to keep operating without increasing output or adopting newer manufacturing technology.

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