On May 22 local time, Micron Technology, a major U.S. memory chipmaker, celebrated the start of production of 1α (1-alpha) DRAM chips at its wafer fab in Manassas, Virginia — a key step in the company’s massive expansion of U.S.-based memory manufacturing. As the only U.S.-headquartered memory manufacturer, Micron holds a unique position in strengthening domestic memory supply.
The 1α DRAM node is the most advanced memory technology ever produced in the United States, ideally suited for long-lifecycle memory in critical applications, including DDR4 and LPDDR4 productsMicron Technology. Micron also states its 1α DRAM technology is the world’s most advanced DDR4 process, and will continue supporting long-lifecycle product demand alongside the company’s leading memory technologies in Boise, Idaho, and Clay, New York, for years to comeMicron Technology. Micron targets qualified 1α DRAM production at the Manassas fab by the end of 2026. This $2 billion-plus investment will quadruple Micron’s DDR4 wafer supply in Manassas, delivering robust support to U.S. automotive, defense, aerospace, and industrial customersMicron Technology. The project has also created more than 3,100 direct manufacturing and community jobs, backed by federal, state, and local incentivesMicron Technology.
Previously, the world’s three largest DRAM manufacturers — Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron — reallocated DRAM fab capacity to higher-margin products such as DDR5, LPDDR5X, and High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) to meet demand from hyperscalers and data center operators. Micron even issued end-of-life (EOL) notices in 2025 for mainstream consumer and data center DDR4/LPDDR4 products, with final customer shipments expected to be completed in early 2026.
This collective EOL decision has exposed traditional industrial sectors with extremely long product cycles to severe supply risks. S&P Global Mobility estimates that global automotive DRAM contract prices will surge 70%–100% year-on-year in 2026, warning that supplies of legacy automotive DRAM will dry up sharply by late 2028. Automotive and industrial buyers’ DDR4 inventory buffers have shrunk drastically from over 31 weeks historically to just 6–8 weeks.
Tight DDR4/LPDDR4 supply, persistent strong demand, and rising prices boosting gross margins have prompted Micron to ramp up DDR4 capacity.
Micron Chairman, President, and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra and other executives hosted the milestone event, with remarks delivered by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, U.S. Senator Mark Warner, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, and Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott. The event was also attended by partners from the Trump administration, Congress, Virginia state and local governments, customers, suppliers, business groups, regional academic institutions, nonprofits, and other community organizations.
Sanjay Mehrotra, Chairman, President, and CEO of Micron Technology, said: “Today’s achievement marks a critical milestone in Micron’s $200 billion U.S. investment plan to expand domestic memory manufacturing and R&DMicron Technology. It reflects our enduring commitment to customers and industries relying on long-lifecycle memory for critical applications. We are proud to bring advanced 1α DRAM manufacturing to the United States, strengthening domestic supply for U.S. customers and the global markets we serve. We thank President Trump, Secretary Lutnick, Ambassador Greer, Governor Spanberger, Senators Warner and Kaine, Speaker Scott, the Virginia General Assembly, Mayor Davis, the City of Manassas, our customers, suppliers, local partners, and the community for their ongoing support that made this milestone possible.”
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said: “We are finally manufacturing memory semiconductors in America. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, Micron — the U.S.’s leading memory company — is producing critical components of the most advanced semiconductor technology in Virginia. Micron’s massive $200 billion national investment will quadruple U.S. production of industrial, automotive, defense, and aerospace memory chipsMicron Technology. Additionally, Micron’s return of cutting-edge memory production to the U.S. continues to fuel the revival of our advanced manufacturing sector.”
Micron’s U.S. expansion continues to accelerate. The company broke ground on its New York memory manufacturing complex in January, with initial site preparation progressing ahead of schedule. Micron still targets first wafer output at its first Idaho fab by mid-2027, with site preparation for the second Idaho fab already underway. Combined, these projects will create approximately 90,000 jobs, advancing U.S. economic and national security goalsMicron Technology.
To support the growth of the U.S. semiconductor industry, Micron has committed over $325 million to develop the next-generation workforce and strengthen communities in Virginia, Idaho, and New York. This investment includes semiconductor curriculum development, community college and university partnerships, registered apprenticeships, and other programs expanding career opportunities in semiconductors.
In Virginia, Micron’s investments include the Micron Registered Apprenticeship Program in partnership with Northern Virginia Community College and the National Institute for Innovation & Workforce Development, creating pathways to full-time semiconductor technician roles; and the 2026 Micron STEM Opportunity Fund with the Northern Virginia Community Foundation, supporting over 16,000 K-12 students across the region. Veterans are a vital part of the Manassas team: roughly one in ten Micron team members at the fab is a veteran, with partnerships including the Department of War’s SkillBridge program, the Virginia state government, local veteran organizations, and state military bases.
(Reprinted from https://news.eccn.com/）