Ajinomoto has informed IC substrate makers that it will raise prices for its key ABF build-up film by 30%, with the new pricing expected to take effect in the third quarter of 2026. Taiwanese package substrate makers confirmed they have received the official notice, as cost pressure in the IC substrate supply chain remains elevated.
Taiwanese printed circuit board maker Zhen Ding Technology Holding reported first-quarter 2026 revenue that reached a record for the period, as booming demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure helped offset the seasonal slowdown typically associated with consumer electronics.
As AI server orders surge, system assembly makers are finding that more business does not always mean better profits. High-priced GPUs and soaring memory costs are pushing up revenue without lifting manufacturing fees at the same pace, leaving original design manufacturers (ODMs) facing lower gross margins as assembly orders grow.
Taiwan Chinsan Electronic Industrial said strong demand from cloud and server customers pushed related revenue contribution to 35% in the first quarter of 2026, with high-margin AI server applications accounting for roughly half of the segment.
L&T Semiconductor Technologies' multiyear agreement with Synopsys to use AI-enabled multiphysics simulation software could accelerate the development of power modules and intelligent power modules, potentially affecting global electric mobility, renewable energy, and industrial automation by improving design efficiency, reliability, and time-to-market for next-generation power electronics, and by enhancing supply-chain resilience.
Imec's IC-Link has joined TSMC's OIP 3DFabric Alliance, opening up broader access to TSMC's 3D stacking and packaging technologies for global ASIC customers. The move could accelerate the development of multi-die systems, smoothing paths to high-volume manufacturing and benefiting designers across AI, high-performance computing, automotive, and telecommunications markets worldwide—as well as technology supply chains.
Taiwanese outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) services company ChipMOS Technologies reported strong growth in both revenue and profit for the first quarter of 2026. Net profit after tax for the quarter reached NT$505 million (approx. US$16.03 million), up 1% from the previous quarter and 186.37% from a year earlier, while earnings per share (EPS) came to NT$0.72, the highest in the past 10 quarters.
The global semiconductor materials market reached a record high of US$73.2 billion in 2025, up 6.8% year-over-year, according to the latest Materials Market Data Subscription (MMDS) report released by SEMI on May 13, 2026.
Samsung Electronics and its largest labor union failed to reach a pay deal following government-mediated talks, raising the risk of an 18-day strike beginning May 21, 2026, that could disrupt production of memory and other chips.
South Korean copper clad laminate (CCL) maker Doosan is reportedly moving to strengthen its overseas capacity in Thailand, a key production hub for Taiwan PCB suppliers serving global tech giants. The company has announced plans to set up a new subsidiary in Bangpu Industrial Estate and build a new CCL plant there.
Malaysia is exploring ways to encourage more semiconductor-related companies to list on Bursa Malaysia as the government seeks to better align the country's capital markets with its growing role in the global chip supply chain.
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