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An Opportunity For Korean Semiconductor Players?

Christellee — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 03:40:06 +0000

The recent 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Taiwan seemed to have spelt an opportunity for Korea to catch up on the semiconductor race.

The world leader in semiconductor has a recorded 60% market share by Counterpoint Research. Its close rival Samsung trails behind by 13%. TSMC is known for serving Apple, Nvidia and Qualcomm for iphones, mobile chipsets respectively.

It is also the main supplier for Artificial Intelligence (AI) chips for Nvidia, and Advanced Micro Devices’ (AMD) processors. It even has clients in the Electric Vehicle (EV) sector, working with Tesla and Toyota.

The recent quake reportedly disrupted TSMC’s production as personnel had to evacuate and paused operations. Wall Street Journal quoted the company’s admitting the tremor did cause some machinery to be out of commission, and extreme ultraviolet lithography tools by ASML were unscathed. It added construction work resumed following inspection as at 4 April 2024.

Korea May Take the Spotlight

Bum Ki Son and Brian Tan, analysts at British investment bank Barclays, said in a report:

“We believe this could lead to supply disruptions in the tech supply chain. While we note some companies have reported limited damage and many of the semiconductor fabs should have been designed to withstand strong earthquakes, halts in some operations at high-tech semiconductor fabs could mean disruptions.”

“Some of the high-end chips need 24/7 seamless operations in a vacuum state for a few weeks. Operation halts in Taiwan’s northern industrial areas could mean some high-end chips in production may be spoiled,” they added.

Kim Dae-jong, Professor of Business Administration at Sejong University, cautioned that global chipmakers need to diversify the semiconductor supply chain concentrated in Taiwan to reduce risks. Professor Kim noted,

“Chip companies need to reduce their dependency on Taiwan and diversify their orders to other countries to lower the risk when facing a special crisis like this earthquake. Chip design companies should diversify their non-memory demand to Taiwan, Korea and the U.S. as a way to prepare for crises.”

The professor added the earthquake has also hiked the prices of memory semiconductors, indicating Samsung and SK hynix have reportedly halted memory chip price negotiations with clients because the supply of memory chips will decrease, leading to higher prices.

Another Group With Mixed Opinions

KB Securities advocated the importance of diversifying supply vendors. Kim Dong-won, KB’s analyst said,

“The production disruption in foundries caused by this earthquake is poised to serve as a pivotal moment, shedding light on the industry’s structure. With 69% of global foundry production concentrated in Taiwan, it underscores the risk associated with relying on a single supply chain.

TSMC’s Fab12 plant, where all production personnel evacuated following the earthquake, is encountering operational uncertainty due to damaged water pipes and system errors in certain front-end equipment. As a result, further inspections are necessary to assess the situation. The Korean semiconductor ecosystem is emerging as the optimal alternative for diversifying the memory and foundry supply chain, with long-term benefits expected.”

Lee Jong-hwan, Professor from Department of System Semiconductor Engineering at Sangmyung University commented is too quick to assume TSMC would suffer damage from Taiwan earthquake’s aftermaths. Professor Lee noted, the tremor is not likely to have a substantial impact on the foundry industry’s market share. This is because the foundry industry has long-term contracts with chip design companies, and it is difficult to suddenly change the order and design of the chips to be produced.

“The foundry business needs to supply products tailored to the design requirements of chip design companies. Stable supply is key in maintaining long-term cooperative relationships with customers, so it is difficult for TSMC to lose its customers just because of the earthquake damage,” said Professor Lee.

Nonetheless, he projected the memory semiconductor industry, Samsung and SK could benefit from the earthquake as the industry has a different structure.

“The memory semiconductor industry may be affected by the earthquake. As production facilities of Micron Technology and Nanya Technology were reported to have suffered damage, rival memory semiconductor companies, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, are likely to benefit from the market where chip production and supply are more directly connected,” Professor Lee added.

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Micron Starts New Assembly And Test Facility In Malaysia

Christellee — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 03:36:50 +0000

Micron Technology commemorated its 45th anniversary with the inauguration of its state-of-the-art assembly and testing facility in Batu Kawan, Penang. It joins the cohort of semiconductor big wigs that set up shop in Malaysia.

Micron Technology, Inc., one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies, marked a historic day with the opening of its new cutting-edge assembly and test facility in Batu Kawan, Penang, alongside the celebration of Micron’s 45th anniversary. A ceremony officiated by Chief Minister of Penang, Yang Amat Berhormat Tuan Chow Kon Yeow, underscored the regional significance of Micron’s expansion, highlighting the company’s four and a half decades of innovation and excellence.

Micron previously invested US$1 billion and will add up to another billion including construction and full equipping of this new facility over the next few years in Penang to increase factory space to a total of 1.5 million square feet. This expansion enables Micron Malaysia to boost production output and further strengthen its assembly and test capabilities, allowing it to supply leading edge NAND, PCDRAM and SSD modules to meet the growing demand for transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence and autonomous or electric vehicles.

“The official opening of our new manufacturing facility in Batu Kawan strengthens Micron’s global manufacturing footprint, enabling us to deliver quality products to our customers on-time, with reduced cycle time and at scale,” said Amarjit Sandhu, Corporate Vice President of Assembly and Test NAND Operations for Micron Technology. “This expansion reflects our unwavering dedication to advancing semiconductor development and manufacturing excellence.”

The Batu Kawan facility distinguishes itself by adopting smart manufacturing applications to optimise efficiency, yield, and production quality, ensuring Micron continues to deliver world class products efficiently and reliably. Micron has an ongoing focus on sustainability, exemplified by the facility’s design which adheres to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system – the world’s most widely-used green building certification.

This environmentally conscious approach enables Micron to reduce energy consumption in the new facility by more than 25% in comparison to the American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHAE) standard, setting a high benchmark for eco-friendly semiconductor manufacturing.

In 2022, Micron announced that its facilities in Malaysia are the first within Micron’s global network to be powered by 100% renewable electricity. The operations for this new facility will also support Micron’s sustainability aspirations to achieve net-zero emission by 2050 and zero hazardous waste to landfills by 2030.

The opening ceremony brought together local dignitaries, industry partners and Micron team members, symbolising a shared commitment to sustainability, partnership and progress for both Micron and Malaysia in the Penang region. Attendees at the event included the Deputy CEO (Investment Development) of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, Ms. Lim Bee Vian, TalentCorp CEO, Mr. Thomas Mathew, InvestPenang CEO, Dato’ Loo Lee Lian, President of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA), Dato’ Seri Wong Siew Hai, AmCham CEO, Ms. Siobhan Das, and Senior Vice President of Global Assembly and Test at Micron, Gursharan Singh.

“We congratulate Micron on achieving yet another significant milestone in their development in Malaysia,” said CEO of Malaysian Investment Development Authority, Datuk Wira Arham Abdul Rahman. “This expansion underscores Malaysia’s appeal as a hub for cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing. Micron’s substantial investment and dedication to sustainable practices align perfectly with our nation’s objectives outlined in the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030). As we advance in this digital era, where technology plays a central role in economic growth, we eagerly anticipate continued collaboration with industry leaders such as Micron to promote innovation, sustainability, and collective prosperity.”

“As Micron marks its 45th anniversary this year, I am pleased to note that we are also celebrating five years of Micron’s presence in Penang,” said the Chief Minister of Penang, YAB Tuan Chow Kon Yeow. “This latest smart manufacturing facility is an expansion of Micron’s site in Batu Kawan and reflects Micron’s confidence in our ecosystem’s capability to bolster the development of leading-edge technologies, encouraging us to further preserve and strengthen Penang’s semiconductor leadership.”

As Micron plays a role in advancing of Malaysia’s semiconductor ecosystem and industry, it fosters a supportive work environment that enables team members to engage in meaningful work and bring their best selves every day. Micron is committed to building an inclusive culture where individuals are valued for their diverse perspectives, thought processes and contributions.

Micron joins the list of semiconductor players that selected Malaysia as one of their operating locations: Intel Corporation, Infineon Technologies AG, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), ON Semiconductor, NXP Semiconductors N.V., STMicroelectronics, Western Digital Corporation, Renesas Electronics Corporation, Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, and counting.

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In-Vision Aids Revolutionary Sub-Micron 3D-Printing Development

Christellee — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 02:33:02 +0000

As electronic devices become more miniaturised, the demand for smaller optical components creates production challenges. Conventional methods for 3D-printing of sub-micron sized photonic devices is, in most cases, very costly and impractical outside of a laboratory. Nonetheless, In-Vision is helping to overcome this challenge.

Source: In-Vision Technologies AG

To overcome this challenge, Professor Tapajyoti Das Gupta of the Indian Institute of Science-Bangalore is pushing the boundaries of 3D-printing by developing a new printer capable of delivering sub-micron resolution to produce flexible, stretchable photonic devices with the potential to disrupt the entire semiconductor industry and build a more resilient supply chain.

Demand for Devices Creates Production Hurdles

High-performance optical devices are everywhere: from the average smartphone camera to augmented reality and virtual reality equipment, we’ve become accustomed to and demand exceptional quality imaging capabilities in increasingly smaller form factors. The problem is, producing these precision nanostructures typically requires a multi-step, layered 2D lithography process that requires multiple machines in a cleanroom facility, which makes it costly and hinders scalability.

Aiming to accelerate production and lower the cost, Das Gupta is working with In-Vision and J Group Robotics to build the first large format, sub-micron resolution 3D printer to produce exceptional quality optical devices faster and more economically than current 3D-printing technology allows. By eliminating the clean room and simplifying the process into one machine rather than 10, Das Gupta and his team are opening the doors to much greater production scale and new and broader applications.

In-Vision Light Engine Delivers Sub-Micron Resolution

Where most 3D DLP projectors are limited to one-to-two-micron resolution, Das Gupta’s work requires something much smaller, in the sub-micron range. To achieve this exceptional precision and scaled down image, In-Vision is supplying a projector, based on a DLP9000-Chipset with a newly designed optical path to achieve the sub-micron resolution at a wavelength of 405 nanometers.

With funding from the Indian Ministry of Electronics & Information, Das Gupta and In-Vision have partnered with J Group Robotics to collaborate and build the printer. The group meets frequently to collaborate on technical challenges and align on design and specifications for the printer, with an anticipated completion date of December 2023. Das Gupta says he expects the first optical component to be produced in Spring 2024.

Solving the Supply Chain Challenge

In addition to producing miniaturised photonic devices for AR/VR headsets, SLR cameras and smartphones, this sub-micron capability has broader applications for micro lenses in several other exciting areas. For example, the technology can be used to produce hydrogels and biopolymers for use in contact lenses, biosensors for detecting COVID-19 and other pathogens with a very low concentration of material through spectral analysis, and other applications in the semiconductor industry.

“3D-printing has taken over many other manufacturing processes, the only thing left is printing in submicron resolution,” Das Gupta said. “This technique has the potential to reduce the cost and drive drastic change in the semiconductor industry by eliminating the clean room requirement and making production much faster.”

In addition, Das Gupta says, “It also reduces the carbon footprint of the entire production process and could dramatically improve supply chain resiliency, allowing companies to produce and procure chips much closer to home.”

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Semiconductor Market Continues To Decline

Christellee — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 02:49:20 +0000

New research from Omdia reveals that the semiconductor market declined in revenue for a fifth straight quarter in the first quarter of 2023.

Source: Omdia

This is the longest recorded period of decline since Omdia began tracking the market in 2002. Revenue in Q1 2023 settled at US$120.5B, down 9% from Q4 2022. The semiconductor market is cyclical, and this prolonged decline follows the upsurge as the market grew to record revenues in each quarter between Q4 2020 through Q4 2021 following increased demand from the global pandemic.

The memory and micro processor chips (MPU) market are major areas of the chip market that are contributing to the decline. The MPU market in Q1 2023 was $13.1B, just 65% of its size in Q122 when it was US$20B.

The memory market fared worse, with Q1 2023 coming in at US$19.3B, just 44% of the market in Q1 2022 when it was US$43.6B. The combined MPU and memory markets declined 19% in Q123, dragging the market down to the 9% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) decline.

Commenting on the latest Omdia analysis, Cliff Leimbach, Senior Analyst said: “The semiconductor market is plagued by a lack of demand that has continued for multiple quarters and resulted in declining advanced strip processors (ASP) for many components. However, there is demand thanks to generative AI.

NVIDIA has seen strong revenue growth as they lead in this space, reversing the performance of most semiconductor companies to begin 2023, but other semiconductor companies have yet to take advantage of this space in a similar way.”

The decline of the memory market over the last three quarters has rearranged the market share rankings. One year ago, three of the top five companies by revenue were memory companies, Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron.

Only Samsung remains in the top ten rankings. The last time both SK Hynix and Micron were not in the top ten rankings was in 2008 illustrating the struggles faced by memory-focused semiconductor companies.

NVIDIA released their financial results after publication of the CLT report, and surpassed estimates on strength of the company’s generative AI chips due to strong demand.

Infineon moved into the top ten this year following an 11% increase QoQ due to its strength in the automotive sector.

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China Paving The Way For Lesser Threats?

Christellee — Tue, 23 May 2023 02:55:23 +0000

China banned US chip maker Micron from selling to Chinese companies working on key infrastructure projects, in a major escalation of an ongoing battle between the world’s top two economies over access to crucial technology. This move might spell an opportunity for Korea.

Sources: CNN, DIGITIMES

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced the decision on 21 May 2023, saying the US chip maker failed a cybersecurity review. The news came shortly after the close of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where leaders of major democracies spoke in one voice on their growing concerns over China.

“The review found that Micron’s products have relatively serious cybersecurity risks, which pose significant security risks to China’s critical information infrastructure supply chain and would affect national security,” the Chinese regulator said in a statement. As a result, operators involved in domestic critical information infrastructure projects should stop purchasing products from Micron, it said.

Shares of Micron Technology declined 3% on 22 May 2023. Its Asian rivals reportedly finished the day higher. Shares of Chinese memory chip maker Ingenic Semiconductor jumped 2.8%.

Shenzhen Techwinsemi Technology surged 6.3%. Toyou Feiji Electronics soared 14%. In Seoul, SK Hynix, one of the world’s largest memory chip makers, gained 0.9%, outperforming the South Korean market.

China’s decision came seven weeks after it kicked off a cybersecurity review of Micron’s products, in apparent retaliation against sanctions imposed by Washington and its allies on China’s chip sector.

An Opportunity For Home, Followed By Korea?

China is Micron’s second-largest market. In 2022, Micron’s revenue reached US$30.8 billion, of which China accounted for 11%, or US$3.31 billion. Furthermore, in terms of product structure, Micron’s revenue consists of US$22.4 billion from DRAM and US$7.8 billion from NAND Flash, accounting for 74% and 24% respectively.

This earth shaker was sufficient to turn analysts’ eyes inwards first — catalysing optimism towards locally made chips. China-based Guojin Securities believes that the decision will greatly benefit Chinese memory makers which directly compete with Micron, such as Ingenic, CXMT, YMTC, and GigaDevice.

Meanwhile, China International Trust Investment Corporation (CITIC) Securities believes that wafer procurement is temporarily unaffected in the module sector, but the customers downstream may switch orders, benefiting domestic module manufacturers. Likewise, Huatai Securities believes that Chinese companies have already gained a foothold in the DRAM and NAND sectors.

Currently, China’s self-suffiency rate in the memory industry remains relatively low, and the Micron ban is expected to drive the substitution process in China’s low- to mid-end memory sector. However, according to CITIC, Chinese companies may also shift their memory module/wafer procurement orders to non-US vendors such as Samsung and SK Hynix, creating opportunities for suppliers in their supply chains.

Similarly, the Capital Group suggests that the worst-case scenario would see Micron completely withdrawing from the China’s memory market, leading to short-term order shifts to competitors such as YMTC, Samsung, and SK Hynix.

Nevertheless, as Micron is the world’s third-largest DRAM manufacturer and one of the top five NAND Flash chip manufacturers, it can redirect its sales efforts to other regions, according to the investment consultancy.

After all, memory chip is a standardised product that can be sold anywhere, and the Capital Group estimates that this will only cause minor shifts in the market landscape without significant impacting global chip supply and demand or price fluctuations. However, the big question is will the electronics titans settle for low- to mid-end standards when they have a reputation to protect? China still has an ongoing stigma to contend with; the republic appears to be trying its best to shake this off.

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The Chip Supply Chain Is Getting Harder To Trade

Christellee — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 00:00:16 +0000

It’s getting complicated for investors in semiconductor stocks, with last year’s big chip shortage morphing into an inventory glut for some companies, and others getting caught up in geopolitics.

By Subrat Patnaik and Ryan Vlastelica, Bloomberg

The Covid-19 pandemic spurred an unprecedented supply crunch, shutting down semiconductor factories while also fueling demand for consumer electronics. Now, some chipmakers are warning of cooling demand for parts used in PCs and smartphones, while carmakers continue to wrestle with a shortfall of certain chips.

Another fly in the ointment is renewed tensions between the US and China over the Asian nation’s burgeoning semiconductor industry, with equipment giant ASML Holding NV caught in the middle.

“Supply constraints are not being felt equally,” said Angelo Zino, senior equity analyst at CFRA Research. “The biggest customers are getting priority (Apple, data center players) while more fragmented industries that are not as relevant to the chip industry (industrials, autos) are being pushed to the backburner.”

The complicated supply situation, higher interest rates and possible recession have all contributed to a chip-stock slump this year. A 37 percent rout for the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, or SOX, has wiped out about US$1.4 trillion in market value.

Here’s a breakdown of the sector’s supply quandary:

Smartphones, Tablets, Computers
Consumer electronics look most vulnerable to an oversupply issue, with Micron Technology Inc. cautioning last week of slowing demand for memory chips used in computers and smartphones. The company will cut spending on new plants and equipment to slow output.

Still, Samsung Electronics Co.’s better-than-expected jump in quarterly revenue is a good sign for consumer demand and sparked a rally for beaten-down Asian chipmakers. All eyes will be on computer processor giant Intel Corp. when it reports later this month. Intel has slumped 28 percent this year, while Micron is down 38 percent.

Production of chips used in premium and mid-tier 5G devices has also outstripped demand, according to Counterpoint Research. Most of these smartphone chipsets, like application processors, system-on-chip chipsets and basebands are made by Qualcomm Inc., Apple Inc., MediaTek Inc. and Samsung. Qualcomm is down 31 percent this year and MediaTek has tumbled 47 percent.

Auto Chips
Chips used in autos are still recovering from Covid-driven shortages. General Motors Co. said it expects second-quarter results to take a hit due to issues with certain components. Things may be looking up, however, with chip delivery times falling by a day in June.

The bulk of chips used in car production come from NXP Semiconductors NV, Infineon Technologies AG, Renesas Electronics Corp., Texas Instruments Inc. and STMicroelectronics NV. These stocks as down between 16 percent and 45 percent this year.

“Cars are becoming data centers on wheels, and electric vehicles use four times as many chips as regular cars,” said John Barr, portfolio manager at Needham Investment Management. “The auto industry is still short parts, and I think that with growth in EVs, you’ll continue to see strong growth here.”

Data Centers, AI
Demand for high-powered processors used in data centers has been more resilient than smartphone and tablet chips so far, but is still fragile.

“We don’t know how stable enterprise demand is for data center, or what auto/industrial chip demand looks like,” said Jordan Klein, a managing director and tech analyst at Mizuho Securities. “Those have been strong, and while they could be holding up better, there’s a risk we could see order cuts or demand soften.”

Nvidia Corp., Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Micron and Intel all make data-center chips. Nvidia and AMD have both fallen nearly 50 percent this year, erasing a combined US$409 billion off their market value.

Graphics processing units (GPUs) for artificial intelligence may hold up better than other areas, according to Needham’s Barr. Meta Platforms Inc. will still require five times as many GPUs for its AI initiatives, despite broader headwinds faced by the company.

“The general trend of more AI demand and usage is going to go unabated,” Barr said.

Chip Equipment Makers
Crucial for all chipmakers is the complex equipment they rely on. That area has gotten harder to navigate this week, after Bloomberg News reported that the US is pushing the Netherlands to ban ASML from selling some of its tools to China. Shares of the Dutch semiconductor-equipment maker have declined 39 percent this year.

While analysts generally agreed that a complete stop on ASML exporting all deep ultraviolet lithography systems to China is unlikely, geopolitics “can easily scare investors,” said Degroof analyst Michael Roeg.

Any ban or escalation of tensions could also hurt peers such as Applied Materials Inc., which derives 25-30 percent of its sales from China, Bloomberg Intelligence said, while a protracted battle between Washington and Beijing over equipment could further disrupt shaky supply chains.

The next catalyst for the industry is earnings season, where investors will be watching for clues on supply and demand challenges.

Asia’s battered chip shares got a reprieve on Thursday after Samsung’s beat sparked hopes that the sector’s rout may have been overdone. A Bloomberg gauge of the group jumped 3.5 percent, the most in nearly four months, with Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. contributing the most toward the gain. US peers also rose pre-market.

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UTAC Appoints Ken Rizvi As New Chief Financial Officer

Admin — Wed, 06 Jun 2018 16:00:17 +0000

Singapore: On 1 June 2018, United Test and Assembly Centre (UTAC) Holdings Limited—a global semiconductor test and assembly services provider, announced the appointment of Mr Ken Rizvi as senior vice president and chief financial officer effective 1 June 2018.

Image Source: UTAC

Mr Rizvi joins UTAC from Isola where he served as its chief financial officer overseeing both the finance and IT organisations. He has more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry with senior leadership roles at Micron, ON Semiconductor and Isola. He replaces Shawn L. Kelly, the interim chief financial officer, who will return to his role as vice president of finance.

“We are delighted to welcome Ken to UTAC’s management team as CFO. Ken’s extensive business and financial experience with major technology companies will be invaluable as we look at organic and inorganic drivers to grow the company post debt restructuring and maximise value for our stakeholders. I would also like to thank Shawn Kelly who served as interim CFO over the last 8 months,” said Dr John Nelson, chief executive officer of UTAC.

Prior to Isola, Mr Rizvi held senior finance positions with Micron and ON Semiconductor. He also served as an associate with Technology Crossover Ventures—a leading private equity and venture capital firm focused on growth technology companies—and as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. He holds an Executive MBA from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, United States, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Yale University.

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Micron – Asia Pacific Metalworking Equipment News | Manufacturing | Automation | Quality Control

An Opportunity For Korean Semiconductor Players?

The recent 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Taiwan seemed to have spelt an opportunity for Korea to catch up on the semiconductor race.

Korea May Take the Spotlight

Another Group With Mixed Opinions

Micron Starts New Assembly And Test Facility In Malaysia

Micron Technology commemorated its 45th anniversary with the inauguration of its state-of-the-art assembly and testing facility in Batu Kawan, Penang. It joins the cohort of semiconductor big wigs that set up shop in Malaysia.

In-Vision Aids Revolutionary Sub-Micron 3D-Printing Development

Demand for Devices Creates Production Hurdles

In-Vision Light Engine Delivers Sub-Micron Resolution

Solving the Supply Chain Challenge

Semiconductor Market Continues To Decline

New research from Omdia reveals that the semiconductor market declined in revenue for a fifth straight quarter in the first quarter of 2023.

China Paving The Way For Lesser Threats?

China banned US chip maker Micron from selling to Chinese companies working on key infrastructure projects, in a major escalation of an ongoing battle between the world’s top two economies over access to crucial technology. This move might spell an opportunity for Korea.

An Opportunity For Home, Followed By Korea?

The Chip Supply Chain Is Getting Harder To Trade

It’s getting complicated for investors in semiconductor stocks, with last year’s big chip shortage morphing into an inventory glut for some companies, and others getting caught up in geopolitics. By Subrat Patnaik and Ryan Vlastelica, Bloomberg

Auto Chips Chips used in autos are still recovering from Covid-driven shortages. General Motors Co. said it expects second-quarter results to take a hit due to issues with certain components. Things may be looking up, however, with chip delivery times falling by a day in June.

UTAC Appoints Ken Rizvi As New Chief Financial Officer

Singapore: On 1 June 2018, United Test and Assembly Centre (UTAC) Holdings Limited—a global semiconductor test and assembly services provider, announced the appointment of Mr Ken Rizvi as senior vice president and chief financial officer effective 1 June 2018.

It’s getting complicated for investors in semiconductor stocks, with last year’s big chip shortage morphing into an inventory glut for some companies, and others getting caught up in geopolitics.

By Subrat Patnaik and Ryan Vlastelica, Bloomberg

Auto Chips
Chips used in autos are still recovering from Covid-driven shortages. General Motors Co. said it expects second-quarter results to take a hit due to issues with certain components. Things may be looking up, however, with chip delivery times falling by a day in June.