Very interesting Bloomberg article on Japanese Sumco below.
Where do they sit in the supply chain @CWL and what are the implications for Aixtron or PVA Tepla (who supply crystal growing equipment)?
Overall it again confirms that demand for SIC products is clearly taking off which is positive for Aixtron. Regards, Fel
(Bloomberg) -- Sumco Corp., a key supplier of silicon
wafers for the semiconductor industry, said it has already sold
out its production capacity through 2026, a sign shortages in
the industry may not abate for years.
The Japanese company, one of a handful to provide the
specialized silicon slabs that chipmakers use to create their
designs, has orders to cover all output of its 300mm wafers for
the next five years, it said after reporting earnings on
Wednesday. It is not taking such long-term orders for 150mm and
200mm wafers, but demand is likely to keep surpassing supply for
years to come, the company said.
The price of wafers rose by 10% in 2021 over the previous
year and Sumco expects to see increases continue until at least
2024.
The company said it won’t be able to expand its production
this year at all, despite strong demand from customers desperate
for long-term supplies. The company has already done what it can
in terms of optimizing its existing production lines, and its
supply-demand imbalance is consistent across its full set of
products, including 200mm and 300mm wafers.
Taiwan’s GlobalWafers Co. recently failed in its bid for
regulatory approval of a $5 billion takeover of Germany’s
Siltronic AG, a move that would have brought consolidation to
this sector of the chip supply chain.
GlobalWafers to Reassess Strategy After Siltronic Deal
Demise
Sumco made the comments Wednesday after reporting revenue
and profit that beat analyst estimates. The company also
forecast sales and operating income for the first quarter ahead
of projections.
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