SAN DIEGO – Samsung Electronics, Ltd., one of the world’s leaders in advanced semiconductor technology, has opened a subsidiary Samsung Semiconductor (SSI) Memory and Foundry customer engagement office in San Diego, expanding its presence and adding to its current research and development office in the city.
The South Korea-based company officially opened its newest SSI location last week – a 7,889 square-foot site at 12265 El Camino Real. Samsung’s R&D site – a Datacenter Technology and Cloud Solutions Lab about five miles away on Scranton Road – opened in 2010 and employs about 200 people, with plans for additional growth.
Samsung Semiconductor offers a wide range of products that power smartphones, electric vehicles, hyperscale data centers, IoT devices and more.
Samsung says it is the only company that offers solutions and services in Memory, System LSI and Foundry in one business to enable innovative growth in myriad industries – from hyperscale datacenters and automotive to the internet of things mobile and consumer electronics.
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Jinman Han President Samsung Semiconductor U.S.
“We are thrilled to be expanding our presence,” said Jinman Han, president of Samsung Semiconductor U.S. “San Diego has always been an important location for us because of valuable customers in San Diego and Southern California.
There is also a rich talent pool in San Diego. The new Memory and Foundry office opening in San Diego will be instrumental in better serving our customers’ custom design and engineering needs in Southern California. The San Diego team will have approximately 20 employees supporting innovations that power AI, mobile, automotive, IoT, datacenter and more.”
Han said the ultimate goal is to combine the power of its Memory and Foundry businesses to provide Samsung customers with a vertically integrated solution to deliver next-generation technologies.
A leader in the memory business for decades, Samsung was the first to release an AI chip, in 2016. Samsung also commercialized the industry’s first High Bandwidth Memory for High Performance Computing, and continues to pursue opportunities to expand the AI memory market, Han said.
Samsung also enjoys a close relationship with Qualcomm. Last month, Qualcomm announced a multiyear deal with Samsung to supply Snapdragon processors for future Samsung Galaxy smartphones.
Han said the Southern California region’s demand for Samsung’s services is growing and will benefit from the new office The Memory team partners closely with major local customers to develop and validate memory solutions for mutual end-customers across applications while the Foundry team is responsible for the end-to-end support and engagement with local customers.
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“In Foundry we are targeting datacenter AI and hyperscalers as well as AI startups,” Han said. “We are focusing on manufacturing technologies to provide edge AI solutions for on-device AI as we believe the AI market will grow exponentially and quickly in the mobile, PC and automotive markets.”
Last Year’s San Diego Trade Mission
Last October, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria led a trade mission to South Korea that visited Samsung’s Biologic offices and other tech giants to strengthen business relationships, work toward a stronger, globally connected innovation economy and grow more quality jobs in San Diego.
Nikia Clarke, senior vice president of the San Diego Regional EDC and executive director of the World Trade Center San Diego, was part of that delegation.
Clarke, who helps drive strategy for regional economic development, said Samsung’s additional spot in San Diego sends a strong message about regional goals for global growth.
“This is well aligned with our economic development priorities,” Clarke said. “The global engagement reinforces our economic development objectives, and those objectives are really good, high-quality jobs in our most competitive sectors like semiconductors, the life sciences, and other strategic technologies energy and clean technologies.
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Nikia Clarke Senior VP San Diego Regional EDC
“I think it’s important that Samsung Semiconductor has been in the region and part of the innovation fabric of the region for a long time. This new office its essentially a customer support office that will support the foundry and the memory team, and so it’s exciting to have sort of new functions moving here.”
Innovating and Expanding in the U.S.
Han said Samsung is focused on innovating the most advanced semiconductor technology. He said the company’s expanding portfolio of strategic partnerships enables it to access new technologies and enter new markets, helping to strengthen the supply chain.
“In the U.S. alone, Samsung has produced chips since 1996 and was one of the first semiconductor companies to produce chips domestically,” he said. “We will continue to expand and develop innovative, high performing technologies to provide significant benefits for our customers and partners.”
The San Diego EDC reported last October that South Korean-based companies directly employ more than 850 San Diegans, predominantly in the technology and manufacturing industries at companies like Samsung and Hyundai, and that the U.S. and South Korea hold the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively, in global market share of the semiconductor industry. The EDC noted that South Korea is the No. 13 country investing venture capital into San Diego by deal count.
Samsung has multiple offices and R&D facilities in countries across the globe, including South Korea headquarters; North, Central and South America; Europe; the Middle East; Africa; Japan; and Southeast and Southwest Asia.
Samsung has invested nearly $50 billion in the U.S. since arriving in 1978. Its main U.S. office is headquartered in San Jose with an office and fab in Austin, Texas, primarily focused on U.S. manufacturing.
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“In total, we have more than 20,000 employees in the U.S., innovating everything from semiconductors to manufacturing to enhancing customer experiences,” Han said.
Samsung Electronics, Ltd. FOUNDED: 1969 FOUNDER: Lee Byung-chul HEADQUARTERS: South Korea BUSINESS: Electronics/Info Tech REVENUE: $194 billion (2023) STOCK: 005930 (KRX) EMPLOYEES: 270,000 WEBSITE: semiconductor.samsung.com/us/ CONTACT: 800-726-7864 SOCIAL IMPACT: Samsung partners with government and organizations around he world to provide education through Samsung Corporate Citizenship. NOTABLE: Samsung Electronics America was founded in 1978.
Four suspects were behind bars Friday for allegedly beating a man to death two months ago during a fight at Linda Vista Park.
Arrested Wednesday on suspicion of murder in connection with the violent death of 59-year-old Ruben Rimorin were Juan Garcia Alavez, 21, Juan Manuel Lopez, 26, Brian Reyes, 20, and Franklin Joseph Tuell, 21, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Rimorin was found gravely injured about 3:45 a.m. Oct. 18 on a sidewalk in the 6800 block of Osler Street, just west of the park, SDPD Lt. Chris Tivanian said. Paramedics tried in vain to revive the victim before pronouncing him dead at the scene.
It remains unclear what sparked the deadly fight.
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The suspects were being held at San Diego Central Jail without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Friday afternoon.
National City’s Pepper Park can soon expand in size by nearly 50%, thanks to a ruling this week by the California Coastal Commission to approve the National City Balanced Plan.
The approval of the plan at the CCC’s Wednesday meeting, developed by the Port of San Diego, means that not only will the popular park have the ability to increase in size, big changes are coming for commercial, recreation and maritime uses on the National City bayfront.
“We are grateful to the California Coastal Commission for its support of the National City Balanced Plan,” said Danielle Moore, chair of the Board of Port Commissioners. “The progress we have made has been anchored in tireless collaboration with the community, business leaders and, of course, the city of National City. It’s about bringing more recreational opportunities to the bayfront while also streamlining and strengthening maritime operations, and we are eager to bring these projects to life.”
Other components of the balanced plan include:
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Realigning Marina Way to serve as the buffer area between commercial recreation and maritime uses
The closure of Tidelands Avenue between Bay Marina Drive and West 32nd Street, and West 28th Street between Tidelands Avenue and Quay Avenue, around six acres, to increase terminal efficiency by eliminating redundancies
The development of a recreational vehicle park, tent sites, cabins and the “ultimate development of up to two hotels with up to 365 rooms, as well as dry boat storage,” a port statement read
A connector rail project to connect the existing rail and loop track located on the National City Marine Terminal to additional rail car storage spots at the existing Burlington Northern Santa Fe National City Yard east of the National Distribution Center
The Board of Port Commissioners must accept the CCC’s certification, then the port and city can begin the process of completing the above projects.
“I am proud of the work we have done to help create a lasting legacy for National City, the Port of San Diego, and the entire region,” said Port Commissioner GilAnthony Ungab. “Nearly a decade in the making, this plan balances the interests of the community and many other stakeholders, addresses public access, maritime, and recreation uses, and expands waterfront access in my community.”
The National City Bayfront is 273 acres of waterfront land and 167 acres of water, and includes the National City Marine Terminal, Pepper Park, Pier 32 Marina, the Aquatic Center and pieces of public art.
Mayor Todd Gloria announced an initiative Wednesday intended to expand housing options in neighborhoods by integrating small-scale residences such as townhomes, rowhomes and cottages into an area’s existing character.
The Neighborhood Homes for All of Us initiative is also intended to support community land trusts — nonprofit organizations that acquire land to create permanent affordable housing.
“Since Day 1 of my administration, I have been focused on building more homes that San Diegans can actually afford — and getting them built faster,” Gloria said at a news conference Wednesday. “‘Neighborhood Homes for All of Us’ is the latest piece of that puzzle. This innovative program will break down the barriers that have gotten in the way of building the type of housing that I believe is ideal for young families and first-time homebuyers for whom the dream of homeownership has long felt out of reach.”
Around 80% of land zoned for housing in the city is restricted to single-family homes, which continue to increase in price, Gloria said. And a significant portion of new housing being built consists of apartment buildings with primarily studio and one-bedroom units, leaving working-class families fewer and fewer options for homes.
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Neighborhood Homes for All of Us is intended to increase the housing supply and allow community land trusts to keep housing affordable in disadvantaged communities for low- to middle-income families.
“San Diego is an incredible place to raise a family, and more families need the opportunity to do that in San Diego’s existing, highly desirable single-family neighborhoods where their kids can learn and play in a great community,” City Planning Director Heidi Vonblum said. “But today, that comes at a price that is out of reach for too many. Integrating more options for families requires careful and thoughtful planning, with input from existing and future community members across the city, to ensure these new home opportunities for San Diego’s families are built in ways that best enhance and benefit San Diego’s amazing neighborhoods.”
The initiative will roll out in two phases. In the first phase, beginning this week and continuing through next summer, San Diegans can help determine what the neighborhoods can look like. The public will be able to see renderings showing small-scale neighborhood homes within San Diego’s existing communities, along with new regulations that “provide a clear pathway for building these homes,” according to a statement from Gloria’s office.
Phase 1 will also include an open house and ways for the community to provide feedback and concerns.
Phase 2, scheduled for the second half of 2026, will be for city staff to develop regulations allowing for the building of more neighborhood homes in a way informed by the public feedback.
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The initiative is partly funded through a Regional Early Action Planning grant from the San Diego Association of Governments.
