Samsung began constructing a second flash memory production line at a factory in South Korea to keep up with an expected increase in demand driven by widespread uptake of AI, IoT and 5G in the medium- to long-term.

The company plans to mass-produce its latest V-NAND chips in Pyeongtaek, 70kms south of Seoul, in the second half of 2021. It didn’t disclose the size of the investment to expand capacity, but sources estimate amount at about KRW8 trillion ($6.5 billion), Yonhap News Agency reported.

In a statement, Choi Cheol, EVP of memory global sales and marketing, said: “The new investment reaffirms our commitment to sustain undisputed leadership in memory technologies, even in uncertain times.”

Samsung is apparently the largest maker of flash memory in the world.

In mid-March, it commenced mass-production of fifth-generation V-NAND at its factory in Xian, China to meet demand from flagship and high-end smartphone markets. The new 512GB flash storage unit delivers a write speed three-times greater than the previous version at more than 1.2GB/s.

At the time, Samsung said it plans to shift V-NAND production at facilities in Pyeongtaek from fifth-generation to sixth-generation to better address growing demand.