Suppliers of semiconductor components and materials, such as CCL and PCBs, have all geared up for the upcoming release of Intel's Whitley next-generation server CPU platform.

Demand for the new processors is expected to start picking up in the second quarter and then peak in the third, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.

First-tier IT firms such as Unimicron, Ibiden and AT&S have each prepared plants to specifically manufacturing products for Intel and new production lines at these facilities that are equipped with advanced packaging technologies are expected to come online in the next few years to ensure sufficient capacity, the sources said.

Since server CPUs are large-size products that can effectively increase substrate makers' utilization rates, producing substrates for the server CPUs is expected to become the priority for the makers, the sources noted.