Marco Mezger

#SouthKorea's Early Exports Rise as Momentum Remains Strong 💡 - #Chip shipments increase 43% while car exports rise 12.8% - Momentum in export growth has been broadening out in #Asia #SouthKorea's exports have made a brisk start to the second quarter based on early trade figures for April, brightening the outlook for economic growth. The value of shipments increased 11.1% from a year earlier in the first 20 days of April, according to data released Monday by the customs office. Imports rose 6.1%, resulting in a trade shortfall of $2.6 billion. South Korea releases trade data earlier than most countries and is one of the world’s biggest producers of high-tech products, making its performance a leading indicator for broader trends in global commerce. Thanks again to Sam Kim and Bloomberg News for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/eDP_ymxK #semiconductorindustry #semiconductor #semiconductors #chip #chips #ic #semiconductormanufacturing #technology #tech #it #ai #ic #cloud

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Infineon Technologies plans NT$1.2bn R&D center in #Taiwan SOLID FOUNDATION: The German firm cited #Taiwan's dynamic innovation ecosystem, such as ‘highly skilled R&D talent and strong industry clusters,’ as reasons for #investment Infineon Technologies AG, a world-leading #automotive #chip supplier, said it plans to set up a NT$1.2 billion (US$37.05 million) research and development (R&D) center in Taiwan with government funding of NT$480 million to develop next-generation Wi-Fi and #Bluetooth #chips for #electric #vehicles in collaboration with local partners. Infineon is the latest among a slew of global #semiconductor companies seeking to operate R&D centers in Taiwan given a resilient #semiconductor ecosystem. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) makes advanced automotive chips for #Infineon and NXP Semiconductors NV in Taiwan. Thanks to lisa wang and Taipei Times for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/ekpX2rQX #semiconductormanufacturing #technology #semiconductors #chip #ic #icdesign #foundry #tech #innovation #semiconductor #it #ai #ev #evs

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#Samsung Gains Early Market Entry Advantage in the Panel-Level Packaging Sector Ahead of #TSMC 💡 TSMC is said to be entering the fan-out panel-level packaging (FO-PLP) sector, according to a previous report from Nikkei. Now, a report from BusinessKorea noted that Samsung is making significant strides in the PLP field, as the #tech giant acquired the PLP business from Samsung Electro-Mechanics as early as in 2019. It is interesting to note that TSMC has returned to the development of PLP now, while this #technology is actually regarded by Samsung Electronics as the “secret weapon” to challenge TSMC’s InFO-WLP technology a few years ago. In 2015, TSMC has secured all of Apple’s #A10 orders by offering the InFO-WLP (Integrated Fan-Out Wafer Level Packaging) technology. According to a previous report by Korea media outlet ETNews, Samsung was prompted to take action, making the company to cooperate with Samsung Electro-Mechanics to start developing FO-PLP technology. Thanks again to TrendForce Corporation for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/etXDwcUW #semiconductorindustry #semiconductor #semiconductormanufacturing #chip #chips #technology #tech #it #foundry #southkorea #taiwan #usa

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#Solar powerhouse: #China holds the key to Asia's green energy goals With 90% market share of key #supplychains, country's dominance is hard to shake 💡 #Solarenergy is widely seen as the most accessible and rapidly deployable source of #renewableenergy, attracting $500 billion in #investment in 2024, surpassing all other types of energy generation sources, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) . #Offshorewind projects can take eight years or longer to plan and build, while solar energy plants can be deployed in less than two years. This makes solar an attractive option for companies hoping to rapidly shift to renewable energy, industry executives told Nikkei Asia. China was not always the solar king. In the 2000s, #Japanese and #Taiwanese companies such as #Sharp, #Motech and #NewSolarPower were leading players in the #photovoltaic industry, but they gradually lost their competitive edge as China's massive economic scale and government subsidies allowed emerging players to produce solar panels more cheaply. Today China has a 90% market share or more in the key segments of the supply chain, from #polysilicon at the upstream end to solar modules at the downstream end, according to the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)(工業技術研究院, 工研院) of Taiwan. Thanks again to Cheng Ting-Fang , Lauly Li and Nikkei Asia for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 🙏💡👇 https://lnkd.in/esubaQZJ #semiconductorindustry #semiconductors #semiconductor #chip #ic #innovation #chips #technology #tech #geopolitics #energy #oil

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XMC (World Class Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), Sister Company of Yangtze Memory Technologies, Has STAR Market #IPO Application Accepted 💡 On September 30, according to an announcement on the China Securities Regulatory Commission’s website, #Wuhan Xinxin Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (XMC) has had its IPO application for the STAR Market officially accepted, marking the official start of its listing process. According to a report by ICsmart, both Yangtze Memory Technologies (#YMTC) and XMC (World Class Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) are subsidiaries of the holding company Yangtze Memory Technologies Group. ICsmart reports that XMC, founded in 2006, is a #semiconductor #manufacturer focused on NOR #Flash #memory #chips and operates the first 12-inch semiconductor production line in Central #China. By the end of 2017, XMC had shipped over 750,000 NOR Flash #wafers, covering markets ranging from #consumerelectronics to #industrial & #automotive - grade applications, and that year achieved profitability. In 2020, XMC announced full-scale mass production of its self-developed 50nm SPI NOR Flash products. According to information from XMC’s official website, the company currently offers 12-inch #NOR Flash, #CIS, and #Logic wafer #foundry services, with process nodes of 40nm and above. Thanks again to TrendForce Corporation for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 🙏💡👇 https://lnkd.in/eFa9sSNZ #semiconductorindustry #semiconductormanufacturing #technology #it #tech #geopolitics #investment #stockmarket #chip #chips #ic #it

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Strong #Memory Demand, Increased Shipments to #China Limit Revenue Decline of Top 5 #Wafer Fab Equipment Makers in Q1 2024 💡 The world’s top-five wafer fab equipment (WFE) manufacturers’ revenue decreased 9% YoY in Q1 2024 due to delayed customer investments in leading-edge #semiconductors, which were offset to some extent by strong #DRAM demand. Among these top five, ASML and TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED revenues declined 21% YoY and 14% YoY respectively. Applied Materials, Lam Research and KLA’s revenues declined in low single digits when compared to 2023. However, when compared to the previous quarter, ASML’s revenue declined 26% while KLA’s revenue declined 5% on account of customer capacity adjustment in the advanced node. Applied Materials and Lam Research’s revenues were flat QoQ while Tokyo Electron delivered a revenue increase of 18% due to strong demand from both #DRAM and #NAND. The top five WFE manufacturers’ revenue from China grew 116% YoY in Q1 2024, primarily due to increased DRAM shipments to the country. Strong demand from mid-critical and mature nodes across applications including #IoT, #automotive and #5G will likely continue for the rest of the year. Thanks again to Counterpoint Technology Market Research for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/eeyghjdw #semiconductorindustry #semiconductormanufacturing #technology #it #chip #chips #geopolitics #foundry #innovation #tech #usa #china #ai #aiot #japan #ev #taiwan #southkorea #europe #smartphones #ic

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#EU #Tariffs Act as Catalyst, #Chinese Automakers to Accelerate Launch of 14 New Overseas Plants, Says TrendForce Corporation 💡🚘 The EU has initiated provisional countervailing duties on Chinese-made #BEVs as of July 4, 2024. While new tariff percentages have been announced, they show minimal change from the rates published on June 12. The tariffs include 17.4% for BYD, 19.9% for GEELY, and 37.6% for SAIC Motor . Additionally, #automakers identified as cooperating with the investigation but not sampled will face a 20.8% tariff—affecting a total of 13 companies—while other automakers not listed will be subject to a 37.6% tariff. TrendForce 集邦科技 points out that the current EU tariff on Chinese #vehicles is 10%. This means the tariff on #BEVs exported from #China will increase to between 27.4% and 47.6%. #European and #American automakers will also be affected. The investigation will continue until November 2, 2024, allowing time for negotiations between China and the EU, responses and independent review requests from stakeholders, and the influence of EU member states’ positions on final measures. Therefore, there is still room for discussion regarding the EU’s tariff position on Chinese BEVs. Thanks again to TrendForce Corporation for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/esZckfQu #semiconductorindustry #semiconductors #semiconductor #car #auto #automotivetechnology #automotiveindustry #geopolitics #chip #chips #ai #technology #tech #innovation #manufacturing #electrification #ev

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TSMC to build 7 new plants in 2024: Company official 🤯🤩🇩🇪🇯🇵🇺🇸🇹🇼 #Taiwan #Semiconductor #Manufacturing Co. (#TSMC), the world's largest contract chip maker, will build seven new plants this year in a bid to boost its global competitiveness, a company official said on Thursday. The seven plants -- three #wafer plants and two packaging factories in Taiwan plus another two wafer plants overseas -- are being built or will be built to meet fast growing global demand for high-performance #computing devices and #smartphones, Huang Yuan-kuo (黃遠國), head of the FAB18 plant in #Tainan, told at TSMC 2024 Taiwan #Technology Symposium. Thanks to Flor Wang , Chang Chien-chung and Focus Taiwan for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/e7ZSHTJn #semiconductorindustry #semiconductors #semiconductor #technology #it #tech #innovation #geopolitics #chip #chips #ic #germany #japan #usa #semiconductormanufacturing #it #ai #aiot #computer #pc #mobile

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Today IQE announced the planned initial public offering (IPO) of our Taiwan subsidiary on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. IQE plans to retain control of IQE Taiwan through a majority stake, while continuing to leverage its strategic value.   This strategic move will enable us to raise capital to accelerate the implementation of the growth initiatives set out at our Capital Markets Day.    An IPO of IQE Taiwan will allow us to maximise the value of our asset while continuing to offer a secure and resilient supply chain for our global customers, and the proceeds can be used to upgrade and expand the production capacity across our strategic global sites, enabling IQE to meet the growing demand for GaN power and scale operations effectively in line with customers.      This move enables us to double down on our commitment to providing high-quality products, and our excellent customer service remains unchanged.

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semiStocks: The Week's Leaders, Laggards, Regional & Sector Performance                     ... for the week ending June 9, 2024 W/W Plc W/W Chg 7-Jun 1 23.4% Valens 2 15.7% Hua Hong 3 13.8% Navitas 4 13.1% Aehr Test 5 11.4% indie Semi 6 11.1% SMIC 7 11.1% Axcelis 8 10.3% NVIDIA 13.7% Average 83 -4.4% Hygon 84 -4.5% Microchip 85 -4.5% Montage 86 -5.6% Silicon Labs 87 -5.9% Loongson 88 -8.4% Impinj 89 -18.1% Lattice 90 -19.8% Semtech -8.9% Average W/W Chg 0.3% America 2.2% China 7.2% EMEA 0.4% Japan 3.6% Korea 2.6% Taiwan 0.2% Other Asia -2.0% Logic 3.1% AI 0.9% Auto 1.3% Mobile 5.0% Memory 1.2% Analog & Power 3.9% Foundry 2.5% OSAT Can you help me out? Please click the like button so I know these write-ups are of value for you. This for the greater good as I have no investments in these stocks. Also, no guarantees here. I am not a stock analyst. These are just observations and opinions. My opinions here are subject to many unknowns that will cause actual results and outcomes to be different from what is written. This is not investment advice and is not tailored to your specific investment needs. Do your homework and consult a professional investment advisor. #Semiconductor #StockstoWatch #stockmarket #techstocks

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Major #EV #Battery Markets Aiming to Reduce Dependence on Global EV Leader #China 💡 The global EV battery market grew 19% YoY during H1 2024 with China ranking first in terms of EV battery installations, followed by #Europe and the #USA. The global average battery capacity of #BEVs reached 64.7kWh (+6% YoY) in H1 2024 while for #PHEVs it reached 23.1kWh (+14% YoY), driven by the rising demand for smart #electricvehicles in China, according to Counterpoint Research’s Global EV Battery Tracker. Thanks again to Counterpoint Research for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 🙏💡👇 https://lnkd.in/eanMX4U4? #semiconductorindustry #automotiveindustry #car #cars #auto #chip #chips #innovation #technology #tech #geopolitics #electrification #ai #CATL #BYD #LG #Samsung #Panasonic #SK #CALB

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Status of the #Microcontroller Industry 2024 💡 Mainland #China continues to gain #MCU ship to region share as well as a growing number of emerging MCU suppliers. How is the market adjusting? The #pandemic-induced #supplychain disruptions, #foundry capacity #shortages, and stockpiling drove up average selling prices (ASPs) significantly, rising from around $0.60 USD in 2020 to $0.93 by 2023. Although the supply chain has regained some stability, with a return to just-in-time ordering by the end of 2023, overall ASPs have been slow to return to pre-pandemic levels. However, the emergence of new suppliers in the last few years, particularly in Mainland China, has led to government incentives that have sparked price wars. While this has helped to reverse the spike in ASPs caused by supply chain disruptions, prices are not expected to fall to pre-pandemic levels in the foreseeable future. The main reason pricing remains elevated is product substitution. There has been a long-standing trend toward the growth of more expensive 32-bit MCUs over their 16-bit and 4/8-bit counterparts, as many designers migrate to the more robust and standardized 32-bit Arm ecosystem. Additionally, recent performance increases in MCUs, such as the shift toward cutting-edge process nodes, the replacement of low-cost smartcard MCUs with more complex #embedded secure MCUs, and stronger growth in higher-cost High-reliability Class MCUs over Multimarket MCU applications, have further contributed to sustaining higher prices. These substitution trends have prevented any rapid price declines. That being said, prices are gradually dropping, potentially reaching as low as $0.88 USD over the next few years. Beyond product mix trends within the MCU market, global inflation has driven prices up across all markets. The combined effect of emerging supplier price wars, inflation, and product substitution has resulted in a relatively stable environment for MCU ASPs, which are expected to fluctuate around $0.90 through 2029. A very big thank you again to Yole Group for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/ejnSafv9 #semiconductors #semiconductor #technology #tech #it #ic #chip #chips #geopolitics #embeddedsystems #innovation #china #usa #europe #japan

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A pretty comprehensive list of the challenges faced by the semiconductor industry. However Blueshift Memory has a more fundamental and effective approach to (5) The Memory Wall, and (6) Power/thermal issues in data centres. During the next two years we’ll be collaborating with Taiwanese vendors to integrate our Cambridge Architecture into high bandwidth memory - this innovative technology structures the data more effectively, dramatically accelerating calculations and reducing energy consumption by up to 90%. #ai #futurecompute #memory #power #energy #efficiency

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Recently, we encountered two customers: one, a wafer fab in Guangzhou (Customer A), and the other, a photomask factory in Shandong (Customer B). About a year ago, both of these companies chose robots from other suppliers, primarily because they thought our prices were too high and hoped we would lower them. Since we couldn’t meet their request for a discount, Customer A decided to test robots from another supplier. I’ve heard that the testing has been going on for over a year now, but it still hasn’t met their expectations. Recently, they approached us again to ask if we could conduct a test. Our response was simple: if they place an order and confirm the specifications, the price will remain unchanged. Since then, we haven’t heard back from them, and I’ve heard they have turned to two other companies for testing. As for Customer B, When we found out they were testing that many suppliers at the same time, we decided to withdraw because we didn’t believe a customer could realistically have the time and resources to test robots from so many different companies simultaneously. Eventually, they chose the cheapest supplier (not the best, which is why we didn’t participate) and purchased multiple robots and dozens of e-racks. This order placed immense financial pressure on their supplier, who practically had to “sell a kidney” to meet the demand. Recently, user came back to us, stating that the robots were not functioning properly and asked if we could lower our prices. We refused. The semiconductor industry is highly competitive, and factories invest heavily in facilities, equipment, and personnel. They cannot afford to waste time on robots that don’t perform as expected (since robots are meant to replace operators and production systems, not just ordinary equipment). What users need are stable, reliable robots that can operate 24/7, with the ultimate goal of achieving fully unmanned factories. Unfortunately, their current supplier has already delayed their plans and progress. In reality, customers should understand that when they push suppliers into unhealthy price competition, the quality of the product they receive is often compromised. Some customers may think that all robots are the same (like cars, differing only in terms of features), but that’s not the case. Especially when customers disregard whether a supplier is losing money, focusing only on driving the price down. When these suppliers are eventually forced out of business due to price wars, customers will face the serious consequences of having cheap robots in their factories that are no longer functional. Fortunately, most of our customers are very patient and trusting, and it is their support that has brought us to where we are today. Of course, many other customers and friends hope that our prices can compete with others in the industry, but we simply can’t operate that way. We need a strong team to ensure that our customers will always maintain their competitive advantage

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#Technology gap between leading Western and Chinese #semiconductor #foundries (by Michał Bochenek) #China's #chip industry is experiencing a remarkable growth spurt. But how well do we truly understand the breathtaking pace at which Chinese manufacturers like SMIC and Shanghai Huahong (Group) CO., LTD are closing the gap with their Western rivals? Here's a visual comparison of #semiconductor #technology development by market leaders such as IBM, Motorola Solutions, Intel Corporation and TSMC since 1978. The chart contrasts their progress with the achievements of #Chinese companies. The #semiconductorindustry in #China faced a widening technological gap, reaching 17 years by 2014. This year marked a turning point, as #China's State Council identified the #semiconductors industry as critical to national security in its "Outline for Advancing the National Integrated Circuit Industry". The launch of the national "Big Fund" and the "Made in China 2025" initiative one year later provided resources and direction for Chinese companies to begin (very) successfully closing the gap. A very big thank you to Michał Bochenek , Daniel Nenni and SemiWiki.com for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/d4YbAmFt #semiconductor #innovation #geopolitics #chip #chips #ic #icdesign #it #foundry #computing #computer #ai #aiot #evehicles #pc #server #data

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