Mature manufacturing processes at TSMC have seen utilization rates drop amid chilled demand for automotive and consumer electronics applications in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, but clients remain keen to secure support from the foundry's advanced nodes. IT firms are also keen to obtain sufficient components to fulfill demand triggered by a surge in stay-at-home needs, with chip resistors seeing particularly tight supply. Despite an influx of short-lead time orders - also thanks to stay-at-home needs - a sense of uncertainty is still looming for memory module makers.
TSMC sees 28nm process capacity utilization drop: TSMC has seen 28nm as well as 40/45nm process capacity utilization rates drop, due to a slump in chip demand for automotive and consumer electronics devices, according to sources at fab toolmakers.
Chip resistors see tightest supply with BB ratio hitting 1.8: Chip resistors are seeing the tightest supply among passive components with book-to-bill ratios at suppliers rising to 1.8, higher than 1.5 for MLCCs, and major makers Yageo, Walsin Technology, Ta-I Technology and Ralec are all gearing up production to meet urgent demand from server, notebook, PC and industrial control segments amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to industry sources.
Memory module makers uncertain about 2Q20 prospects: Memory module makers have become increasingly uncertain about their outlook for the second quarter despite an influx of short lead-time orders for PCs, and continued strong demand for data centers and other related applications, according to industry sources.
