SK Hynix

SK hynix Inc. is a South Korean supplier of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips and flash memory chips. Hynix is the world’s second-largest memory chipmaker (after Samsung Electronics) and the world’s sixth-largest semiconductor company. Founded as Hyundai Electronic Industrial Co., Ltd. in 1983 and known as Hyundai Electronics, the company has manufacturing sites in Korea, the United States, mainland China and Taiwan. In 2012, when SK Telecom became its major shareholder, Hynix merged with SK Group (the third largest conglomerate in South Korea at the time).

The company’s major customers include Microsoft, Apple, Asus, Dell, MSI, HP Inc., and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (formerly Hewlett-Packard). Other products that use Hynix memory include DVD players, cellular phones, set-top boxes, personal digital assistants, networking equipment, and hard disk drives.

• 1949: Founded as Gukdo construction.
• 1983: Incorporated and renamed as Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.
• 1985: Started mass production of 256K DRAM under a licensing agreement with U.S. company Vitelic Corporation.
• 1986: The Hyundai-manufactured Blue Chip PC was sold in discount and toy stores throughout the US. It is one of the earliest PC clones marketed toward consumers instead of business
• 1993: Took over Maxtor (US HDD main factory)
• 1996: Initial public offering on the Korea Stock Exchange
• 1999: Merged with LG Semiconductor Co., Ltd (founded in 1979), then a division of LG Electronics.