Kioxia Corporation, a subsidiary of Kioxia Holdings Corporation (TOKYO: 285A), and Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK) have commenced operations at Fab2, a state-of-the-art semiconductor fabrication facility at the Kitakami Plant in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. The new facility is designed to produce eighth-generation, 218-layer 3D flash memory, utilizing the companies’ proprietary CBA (CMOS directly Bonded to Array) technology, with plans to expand to next-generation 3D flash memory nodes in line with growing demand driven by artificial intelligence (AI).
Production at Fab2 will ramp up gradually, with significant output expected in the first half of 2026. The facility incorporates earthquake-absorbing architecture and energy-efficient manufacturing equipment, along with AI-driven process optimization. Its space-efficient design maximizes clean room capacity, enhancing scalability for future flash memory technologies. A portion of Fab2’s investment is subsidized by the Japanese government, following an approved plan from February 2024.
“We are pleased to start operations of our new Fab2 facility at Kitakami Plant,” said Koichiro Shibayama, President and CEO of Kioxia Iwate Corporation. “The eighth and future-generation 3D flash memory products produced at Fab2 will offer new value for the rapidly emerging AI market. We will continue to leverage our partnership and economies of scale to produce advanced flash memory products and achieve organic corporate growth, contributing to the semiconductor industry and local economies.”
Maitreyee Mahajani, Senior Vice President of Flash Front End Operations at Sandisk, added, “As AI advances, it is poised to transform industries, redefine careers, and reshape daily life. Flash memory is central to this transformation, delivering the speed, efficiency, and scalability required for this next wave of innovations. We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Kioxia, enabling customers to fully harness AI opportunities.”
Kioxia and Sandisk have maintained a joint venture partnership for more than 20 years, focusing on the co-development of advanced 3D flash memory and coordinated capital investments aligned with market trends. The launch of Fab2 reflects both companies’ commitment to supporting AI-driven growth while strengthening Japan’s semiconductor production capabilities.
