HANMI Semiconductor, second quarter 'surprise' performance...5G Communication Chip Equipment No.1 in the world admin 2020-07-29 4547   https:// www.edaily.co.kr/news/rea d? newsId=01846646625837144& mediaCodeNo=257 [Reporter Kang Kyung-rae of E-Daily] HANMI Semiconductor (042700), a semiconductor equipment company, made a performance equivalent to an "earning surprise" in the second quarter of this year thanks to strong sales of EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference Shield) equipment that is used to manufacture 5G (5th generation) mobile communication semiconductor chips. HANMI Semiconductor announced on the 22nd that its sales in the second quarter of this year increased 152% year- on-year to 61.9 billion won. Operating profit in particular reached 201 billion won. The operating profit ratio was 32 percent, a rare move in the manufacturing sector. "As EMI shield equipment, which is applied to 5G communication chips, has ranked No. 1 in global market share this year, related sales have increased significantly," said HANMI EMI shield, which means electromagnetic interference shielding technology, is a process in which metals such as stainless steel and copper are deposited on the surface to prevent noise generated from electronic devices from causing malfunctions by interfering with other electronic devices. In 2016, global IT (Information Technology) companies such as Apple, Qualcomm, and Broadcom introduced EMI shield processes for Smartphones. At the same time, HANMI Semiconductor also made 36.4 billion won in sales by introducing EMI shield equipment for the first time in 2016. Kwak Dong-shin, vice chairman of HANMI Semiconductor, said, "The EMI shield process has been applied to semiconductor chips of major IT devices such as 5G telecommunication, smartphones, smartwatches, and wireless earphones along with the growth of non- face-to-face and online markets caused by the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19)," adding, "As a result, EMI shield equipment has achieved the top market share in four years since its release." "We expect to win orders worth more than 120 billion won from EMI shield equipment alone this year," he said. "We expect its biggest performance to easily surpass sales record of 217.1 billion won that we posted in 2018." Meanwhile, demand for EMI shield processes also increases sharply in the automotive industry to prevent accidents caused by electromagnetic noise of semiconductor chips applied to cars due to the acceleration of automotive electronic vehicles, self-driving cars, and connected cars. Self-driving cars with "Level 3" or higher are applied with various communication technologies such as internal communication and vehicles of their own, as well as high- speed communication and network security, and require higher- specification electromagnetic shielding technology. The future automotive technology is expected to have at least five to 12 times more semiconductor chips than smartphones, which will lead to a steep increase in EMI shield-related markets.