Samsung Electronics is preparing to expand its foundry push into physical AI semiconductors through a chiplet platform developed with Cadence, targeting chips for robotics, automotive systems, drones, and industrial automation, ETNews reported, citing industry sources.
UMC held its shareholders' meeting on May 27, with CEO Jason Wang saying that as AI applications expand rapidly, long-term semiconductor demand still has room for growth. In addition to deepening its strengths in mature and specialty processes, UMC is also advancing next-generation technologies, including a US-based 12nm FinFET platform, advanced packaging, and silicon photonics, to prepare for future operating growth.
Yageo, one of the world's largest passive component suppliers, said demand from AI-related applications has pushed its book-to-bill ratio to 1.3, surpassing levels seen at Japanese peers, including Murata, as tightening supply across the sector continues to extend lead times.
Hotai Motor Co. told shareholders on May 27 that Taiwan's auto market was expected to strengthen in 2026 as demand for semiconductors and AI applications supported exports and the broader economy. The company forecast the full-year vehicle market could reach 440,000 units, attributing the outlook to a stabilizing global economy, policy continuity and a pickup in replacement demand.
South Korean semiconductor testing company QRT is expanding its equipment business with a portable chip radiation reliability testing system, aiming to build a larger presence in aerospace and defense markets.
Shiny Chemical Industrial said demand for its electronic-grade products is being driven mainly by advanced semiconductor processes, AI, and high-performance computing, with its share of revenue continuing to rise. The company has begun expanding capacity for its electronic-grade isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and propylene glycol methyl ether (PM) lines.
Dreame Technology, a Chinese consumer electronics maker, has formed nearly 1,000 affiliated companies in its ecosystem since the end of 2024. This breakneck pace of expansion signals the ambitions of its leadership to unearth growth opportunities across the broader Chinese tech sector, although some media outlets question the sustainability of the business model.
Samsung Electronics plans to invest VND39 trillion (approx. US$1.5 billion) in a new semiconductor testing facility in northern Vietnam, according to documents reviewed by Reuters, marking the company's first chip testing plant in the country as global memory demand surges amid the AI boom.
Wah Lee Industrial said it has formally moved into investments in standard gases and other supplies needed by wafer fabs, with its Tainan logistics center set to open in the second half of 2026 to support future growth. Chairman Gary Chang also confirmed that the company will pass on higher costs for semiconductor and PCB products quarterly as raw material prices climb.
Computex 2026 is set to officially open in Taipei, and Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) Chairman James C.F. Huang has stated that the combined market capitalization of foreign companies participating in forums and keynote sessions at this year's event exceeds US$10 trillion. He also said that TAITRA has allocated the entire Taipei International Convention Center (TICC) exclusively to Nvidia for GTC Taipei 2026.
US efforts to rebuild its semiconductor supply chain are exposing a critical gap in domestic packaging and testing capacity, a bottleneck that industry sources expect to ease only after 2028 as the US OSAT ecosystem gradually takes shape.
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