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Industry News

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China’s power crunch affects semiconductor companies with local facilities

China is dealing with an energy crunch due to constrained coal supplies and carbon emission-related power cuts. As a result, semiconductor companies with facilities in the region have dealt with operational disruptions.

A person shines a flashlight on a circuit breaker in a darkened area.

Wayward balloon causes brief power outage affecting multiple European chipmakers

Last month, a foil balloon temporarily knocked out power across Dresden, Germany. As a result, facilities maintained by Infineon Technologies, Bosch, and GlobalFoundries in the area were affected.

A silicon wafer sits on a piece of production equipment during the chipmaking process.

Chipmakers ramp up development of SiC, GaN parts amid global EV push

Industry analysts expect the electric vehicle market to expand to $725 billion by 2026, up from $171 billion last year. Chipmakers are working to fuel the segment’s explosive growth by developing new silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) components.

A worker performs a temperature check on another worker while a third observes.

COVID-19 outbreak in Southeast Asia exacerbates global chip shortage

A recent surge in coronavirus infections in Southeast Asia has exacerbated the global chip shortage, especially within the auto industry. As a result, the reconfiguration of the global electronic components supply chain has been affected.

A printed circuit board undergoes automatic assembly while a digital camera observes. | Sourcengine

Google developing CPUs in-house for its 2023 Chromebook and tablets

Google is reportedly developing Arm-based custom processors to power the next generation of its Chromebooks and tablet computers, which are set for release in 2023. However, the Big Tech giant’s strategy might be affected by changing the electronic components industry.

A man in a white coat holding a fully assembled PCB stands in front of a piece of manufacturing equipment. | Sourcengine

European Union wants Chips Act to bolster domestic semiconductor sector

The European Commission declared its intention to support an advanced domestic semiconductor ecosystem via the European Chips Act. Recently, Intel, TSMC, and Samsung have expressed interest in establishing capacity in the region.

A trainee solders a PCB in a classroom while their teacher supervises. | Sourcengine

Vietnamese semiconductor industry to reach $6.16 billion in value by 2024

Technavio, a market research company, expects Vietnam’s semiconductor industry will reach $6.16 billion in value by 2024. The country’s domestic chip sector is growing at a healthy rate due to robust government and corporate investments.

A gloved engineer tests a series of rectangular printed circuit boards in a laboratory environment. | Sourcengine

Intel CEO reiterates plans to create $94 billion chip manufacturing hub in Europe

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger reiterated the corporation’s intent to build a massive semiconductor factory in Europe within this decade. He also outlined its plans to modernize the automotive sector’s chip manufacturing processes.

An engineer holds a silicon wafer with a pair of tongs in front of a clear plastic case holding a series of silicon wafers. | Sourcengine

SMIC to establish $8.87 billion chip factory in Shanghai

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) announced it would spend $8.87 billion establishing a new 12-inch fab in Shanghai. It is also expanding the production capabilities of its other Chinese fabrication sites.

A gloved engineer places a processor into a fully assembled laptop PCB. | Sourcengine

TSMC is raising its prices, and multiple industries will feel the impact

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC), the world’s leading foundry service provider, plans to increase its fees by up to 20 percent starting in January 2022. That development will likely result in higher costs in several end markets.