The flat panel industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak, as China-based makers have major production lines in Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic. And as global panel production is set to be cut by 20% in February, panel prices are also rising. The epidemic has disrupted productions across almost all ICT sectors, leaving many firms without componets and material supplies. Taiwan-based passive components maker Yageo has disclosed that its MLCC and chip resistor inventory has reached 10-year low levels, and it is mulling raising prices. But firms have not been deterred by the virus from advancing their production technologies. Memory makers Nanya and CXMT are gearing up for 10nm-class chip production.
Virus cutting panel production by 20% in February: The impacts of the coronavirus outbreak are expected to exact a toll of 20% in global flat panel output in February, with prospects to see the ratio alleviate to 5-10% in March when more workers return to work in China, according to industry sources.
Yageo sees MLCC, chip resistor inventory hit 10-year low: Passive components maker Yageo has seen its inventory for MLCCs and chip resistors hit the lowest levels in nearly 10 years and will properly raise prices to reflect increased costs, according to company chairman Pierre Chen.
Nanya, CXMT gearing up for 10nm-class chip production: Nanya Technology and Changxin Memory Technologies (CXMT) are both gearing up to enter volume production of their 10nm-class DRAM chips in the second half of 2020.
