In a massive strategic bet on the next wave of tech demand, South Korea's leading semiconductor testing provider, Doosan Tesna, is pouring over KRW170 billion (approx. US$120 million) into new testing equipment. Industry observers believe this huge capex plan is a direct move to prepare for a sharp surge in orders from its primary customer, Samsung Electronics, which is set to ramp up production of CMOS image sensors (CIS) for Apple.
Orders from Samsung subsidiary and Japanese suppliers
According to South Korean outlets The Elec and New Daily, the purchase, which equals a hefty 21.76% of Doosan Tesna's total assets, marks one of its largest equipment investments to date. The company plans to acquire the new test systems from Samsung's own equipment subsidiary, Semes, as well as from Japanese suppliers Advantest and Interaction, with deliveries scheduled between 2026 and March 2027, all driven by what the company cited as "rising test demand."
This investment highlights Doosan Tesna's heavy reliance on Samsung, as its foundry and System LSI divisions accounted for over 90% of Doosan's 2024 revenue, with CIS making up 35% of that business.
Preparing for the Apple CIS cycle
As Samsung deepens its CIS partnership with Apple, Doosan Tesna, being the main testing service provider, is poised to be a major beneficiary, and the market is reading this announcement as a preemptive move to secure capacity for those anticipated Apple-related orders.
Samsung is reportedly planning to manufacture CIS for Apple's iPhone 18, slated for a 2027 release, at its facility in Austin, Texas, with post-processing and packaging set to take place in South Korea.
Industry experts note that in the testing sector, "equipment equals adaptability," making early investments essential for maintaining customer trust and ensuring delivery stability. With expectations high for the Samsung-Apple collaboration to expand, Doosan Tesna's aggressive spending underscores its intent to fortify production readiness and enhance its responsiveness for the coming semiconductor demand.
Article edited by Jack Wu
