The demand for 3D NAND flash memory is expected to soar this year as it wil be used everywhere - from servers and SSDs to micro SD cards, smart phones, tablets and laptops. Toshiba /Sandisk, Intel, Samsung are set to boost their production capacities mainly in China-based manufacturing plants. Toshiba ha announced a more than 500 billion yen investment in order to set foot in the 3D NAND flash market. Together wit its flasj memory partner Sandisk, the companies will start operating manufacturing facilities in Yokkaichi, Japan, sometime next year.

As of the end of the third quarter of last year, Toshiba and SanDisk ranked second and third in global NAND flash market share, accounting for 20.5% and 15.4%, respectively. Their combined market share exceeds that of Samsung Electronics by of 4.4%.

Samsung Electronics was the leader in the production of 3D NAND flash memory. The Korean company is planning on facility expansion with its plant located in Xi'an, China operating at full capacity. Currently, the factory’s monthly production capacity is 100,000 wafer sheets.

Intel is expected to manufacture 3D NAND flash memories in Dalian, China, starting from the second half of this year. Although the fab currently produces 64nm NAND - a couple of generations behind the latest technology - Intel plans to invest up to US$5.5 billion there for the mass production of 3D NAND flash memories and 3D crosspoint SSDs.