Kingston Technology maintains SSD market leadership for the 6th year running
Kingston Technology, the global expert in memory products and technology solutions, continues its leading position in the SSD (Solid State Drive) market for the 6th consecutive year, achieving a 28% market share.
Their dominance in the market is reflected by TrendForce findings, which report that Kingston was responsible for 28% of the 114 million SSD units shipped in 2022.
Data show that the SSD market successfully adjusted its supply and demand balance in 2022 following a resolution to a shortage of ICs (integrated circuits) from 2021. Yet, despite this progress, global SSD shipments fell by 10.7% to 114 million units from the previous year.
The decline, however, did not affect Kingston's leading market position or their growth in market share over 2021. In fact, the top five third-party suppliers (non-semiconductor) commanded nearly 60% of the total shipments, with Kingston outperforming the second-place supplier by a wide margin - they held 9% of the total channel market in contrast to Kingston's strong 28%.
Despite the continued difficulties faced by the global economy in 2023, Kingston maintained a strategic edge. Particularly in the third quarter, when the market witnessed a significant shift, driven largely by NAND Flash suppliers' bold production cuts. This shift was notably reflected in the costing structures of SSDs, largely benefiting module manufacturers possessing lower-cost inventories.
TrendForce forecasts suggest that the demand for PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs could reshape the market dynamics, pushing module houses towards the transition from SATA to PCIe. Surprisingly, in 2022, Kingston expanded its range of products within its value and high-performance drives, including new offerings in the external and encrypted categories.
The company's NV2 client NVMe drive, launched in 2022, quickly rose in popularity, selling over 12 million units globally since its introduction. In parallel with its success, Kingston introduced a heatsink option to its award-winning Kingston FURY Renegade SSD, catering specifically for console and PC gamers - a strategic move which underscores Kingston's commitment to delivering quality NVMe solutions.
Furthermore, Kingston's top-tier sales support and access to in-house product experts and engineers significantly contributed to their formidable market position. This, along with a broadened product portfolio to align with consumer trends, led to Kingston's over three decades of unrivaled reliability and customer support.
Kingston has maintained their number one position in the SSD market for the 6th consecutive year and as the largest third-party memory module supplier for the 20th consecutive year in the DRAM division.
"It's an honour to achieve this top ranking for another year", Kingston remarked. "From the beginning, Kingston has remained steadfast in our commitment to serving our customers and channel partners across the globe, and it's through these strong and enduring relationships that our SSD business has experienced remarkable growth. The recent findings from TrendForce serve as a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire team, and we are grateful for the recognition and success we share with them."
