Strong pandemic-fuled demand has resulted in shortages in a host of components, including MLCC. Yageo, a major passive components suplier, has only about two months of MLCC inventory, far below healthy levels, and the tight supply will not improve until after the Lunar New Year break in February. LCD panel shortages are also haunting second-tier TV vendors who focus on smaller size segments. Teh car market, hit hard by COVID-19 earlier this year, is recovering, with automotive chipmakers keenly placing orders with their suppliers.
Yageo sees inventory stay below healthy levels: Yageo now has about two months of MLCC inventory, which is unlikely to reach healthy levels until after the Lunar New Year break, thanks to difficulty in recruiting new production employees before the holiday period in February, according to the passive component vendor.
Second-tier TV brands grappling with panel shortages: Second-tier TV brands focusing on small-to-medium screen size segments face mounting pressure of insufficient supply from panel makers who are giving production priority to large-size applications, according to industry sources.
Chip demand for automotive electronics gaining momentum: Chip demand for automotive electronics applications has been ramping up significantly since the fourth quarter of 2020 along with the gradual recovery of global car sales, which is expected to serve as a growth driver for the semiconductor supply chain in 2021, according to industry sources.