As global corporations accelerate spending on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, supply constraints are no longer limited to memory chips. Signs of tightening availability are now emerging in multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), small but essential components used across a vast range of electronic systems. Lead times for these parts are lengthening across the industry, according to market data.
A report cited by the South Korean outlet inews24, drawing on figures from Future Electronics, found that delivery times among major MLCC manufacturers have broadly increased in the first quarter of 2026.
Of the nine leading suppliers surveyed, including Kyocera AVX, Murata Manufacturing, Samsung Electro-Mechanics (Semco), TDK, Yageo, NIC Components, and Walsin Technology, all but Vishay Intertechnology reported delays.
Industry analysts attribute the tightening supply primarily to rising demand from AI servers and automotive electronics, particularly for high-end MLCCs with greater performance requirements. Manufacturers are already operating at or near full capacity. At Semco, for instance, MLCC production lines are said to be running at full utilization, leaving little room to accommodate additional demand.
The imbalance is beginning to ripple through the market. With supply constrained and delivery times extending, some orders are being deferred or rationed. At the same time, attention is turning to pricing. Murata Manufacturing, the industry leader, has reportedly begun internal discussions on price increases—moves that analysts see as an early signal of a broader upward shift across the MLCC sector.
Extended lead times are often viewed as a leading indicator of both price hikes and cyclical recovery. Increasingly, market participants are suggesting that the MLCC industry may be entering a new upcycle.
The competitive landscape is also shifting. Semco and Murata Manufacturing together command a dominant share of the MLCC market for AI servers, positioning them to benefit first from any sustained price increases.
Meanwhile, strength in adjacent markets reinforces the trend. DRAM prices rose sharply in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the previous quarter and are expected to climb further in the second, extending a broader rally in memory. Analysts say the pricing momentum is now spreading across key electronic components, including MLCCs, underscoring how the AI-driven surge is reshaping supply chains at every level.
Article translated by Elaine Chen and edited by Jack Wu
