Delivery lead times for wirebonding packaging equipment have extended to over six months, according to industry sources in Taiwan.
Chip demand for 5G and automotive applications has been rising, said the sources, adding that demand for notebooks and desktop PCs remains robust. Backend houses have run their wirebonding packaging lines at full utilization, and are encouraged to acquire new equipment for capacity expansion, the sources indicated.
Backend houses including ASE Technology, Greatek Electronics, Lingsen Precision Industries have all seen their wirebonding packaging capacity fall short of demand, with production lead times already stretched to 2-3 months or even more than three months, the sources continued.
However, equipment suppliers including Kulicke & Soffa and ASM Pacific Technology have had their delivery lead times for conventional wirebonding equipment extend to six to nine months, the sources noted.
Besides, test equipment specialist Advantest has also seen its supply of equipment for use in the production of midrange and high-end display driver ICs and TDDI chips fall short of demand with delivery lead times already extended to over six months, the sources said. Driver IC backend houses including Chipbond Technology and ChipMOS Technologies have enjoyed robust demand for not only small- and medium-size display driver ICs but also large-size ones, the sources indicated.
