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Thursday 16 April 2026
Yageo posts 40% YoY profit rise in 1Q26, driven by AI demand, price hikes
Passive component manufacturer Yageo held its first-quarter 2026 online earnings call on April 15, reporting strong financial results. Company CEO David Wang said that robust demand from applications related to artificial intelligence (AI) boosted sales of both standard and specialty products. Combined with the gradual impact of price increases, this drove significant growth in revenue and profits for the quarter, exceeding previous projections.
Thursday 16 April 2026
Taiwan analog IC firms show varied 1Q26 revenue; motor control and DDR5 PMIC drive growth
Taiwanese analog IC companies have recently released their full revenue figures for the first quarter of 2026, revealing mixed performances. Firms with rapidly growing new businesses or market share generally posted strong quarterly results.
Thursday 16 April 2026
China tightens rules against foreign supply chain decoupling
The Chinese government has introduced sweeping regulations that authorize investigations and penalties against foreign companies that decouple from China's supply chain. The new rules arrive as global supply chains face mounting geopolitical pressure and China's export surplus continues to grow.
Wednesday 15 April 2026
Tong Hsing Electronic expects revenue acceleration as fiber optics drives expansion
Tong Hsing Electronic, a Taiwanese semiconductor packaging and substrate manufacturer specializing in CMOS image sensors, said on Monday that optical communication modules have become its fastest-growing business, helping drive demand across RF components, ceramic substrates, and automotive and mobile imaging products, positioning the company for stronger-than-expected revenue growth in 2026.
Wednesday 15 April 2026
Samsung Electro-Mechanics to pour KRW1.8 trillion into Vietnam as ABF demand outstrips supply
Samsung Electro-Mechanics (SEM) is reportedly planning to invest KRW1.8 trillion (US$1.22 billion) in Vietnam to expand ABF substrate production capacity. As AI drives a surge in demand for semiconductor substrates, the move aims to alleviate supply bottlenecks and further strengthen its competitive position. According to Korean media Herald Business and Bloomberg, SEM plans to inject around KRW1.8 trillion into its Vietnam manufacturing subsidiary to expand production of high-value-added ABF substrates. Data from Vietnam's Foreign Investment Agency shows that SEM has obtained an investment registration certificate, with the project targeting the production of ABF substrates for robotics, autonomous vehicles, and AI applications. The project is known as "SEM Vietnam Phase 2."
Wednesday 15 April 2026
China Northern Rare Earth hikes 2Q26 rare earth ore prices over 44%, experts warn of demand destruction
China Northern Rare Earth, the leading player in China's rare earth industry, has raised its rare earth ore (REO) prices for the second quarter of 2026 by more than 44%. Amid geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, this significant price increase has drawn strong attention across the sector.
Wednesday 15 April 2026
CCL price hikes to extend through 2026 with rising glass fiber and copper foil costs

Surging demand for high-end PCBs driven by AI servers and switches is intensifying supply imbalances for upstream materials. Industry sources said the rising cost of copper-clad laminate (CCL) is accelerating down the supply chain, prompting PCB manufacturers to adjust quotes for customers.

Wednesday 15 April 2026
Taiwan, Japan team up on advanced materials to power next-gen chips and clean energy
Japan dominates the global market for semiconductor equipment and materials — a strategic chokepoint that its neighbors and partners have long sought to learn from, not just rely on. Taiwan, home to the world's most advanced chip fabrication ecosystem, has spent years building closer ties with Tokyo in materials science. Now, that partnership is entering a more ambitious phase.
Wednesday 15 April 2026
Taiwan cooling suppliers post record March revenue as AI demand lifts liquid cooling

Taiwan's leading thermal solution providers reported record revenue in March 2026, as AI-driven demand extended into general-purpose servers and network switches, lifting overall shipments across the sector.

Tuesday 14 April 2026
Samsung Electro-Mechanics reportedly to expand AI packaging with MLCC embedded substrate line in Vietnam
As AI chips demand higher performance and denser integration, advanced packaging and substrate technologies have become critical in the semiconductor race. Samsung Electro-Mechanics (Semco) is reportedly establishing a new production line for multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) embedded semiconductor substrates at its Vietnam facility to strengthen its position in the AI semiconductor supply chain.
Tuesday 14 April 2026
Taiwan's auto suppliers pivot to AI and system integration in EV transition, says DIGITIMES Research

The annual "360°MOBILITY Mega Shows," a major gathering for the auto parts and mobility industry, opens on the 14th, drawing heightened attention to the growing role of Taiwan's suppliers in next-generation automotive technology. As software-defined vehicles (SDVs) emerge as a central industry direction, the share of automotive semiconductors and software in vehicle development is rising rapidly, according to a DIGITIMES Research report.

Tuesday 14 April 2026
Glass substrates move toward mass production as Intel, Samsung Electro-Mechanics step up efforts
Glass substrates are entering a critical pre-mass production phase as demand for high-performance AI chips accelerates. As AI workloads require larger chip sizes and higher bandwidth, the industry is shifting its focus toward mass production timelines and yield stability, according to industry sources and reports by ChosunBiz.
Tuesday 14 April 2026
Passive component demand splits in 2026; AI and autos hold firm

The passive components sector is emerging from its inventory slump, with Yageo and Walsin Technology flagging a pickup in both commodity and high-end components, driven by AI servers and automotive electronics.

Tuesday 14 April 2026
King Yuan Electronics posts record 1Q26 revenue, raises capex to NT$50 billion
Benefiting from continued demand driven by artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), and application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), semiconductor testing company King Yuan Electronics (KYEC) reported a strong first quarter of 2026 despite the typical seasonal slowdown.
Tuesday 14 April 2026
Yaskawa Electric sees AI robot, chip demand boost profits

Japan's Yaskawa Electric is pointing to a turning point in its earnings trajectory, with AI-driven robotics and semiconductor equipment demand converging to lift orders, margins, and outlook.

Monday 13 April 2026
Global chip sales expect to top US$1 trillion in 2026 on AI demand

Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain posted stronger-than-expected results in the first quarter of 2026, as artificial intelligence (AI) demand accelerated the adoption of advanced nodes and advanced packaging, lifting both foundries and equipment suppliers.

Monday 13 April 2026
Weekly news roundup: Shortages spread to MLCCs; SK Hynix reportedly in talks with Microsoft and Google
Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of April 6-April 13, 2026:
Monday 13 April 2026
TPK and ASE to launch advanced semiconductor TGV packaging with 3Q26 pilot line
Touch panel maker TPK is partnering with semiconductor packaging giant ASE to enter the advanced through-glass via (TGV) packaging technology sector, focusing on developing glass substrates for high-end computing ICs. This move marks TPK's expansion into advanced semiconductor packaging, aiming to become a new long-term growth engine. TPK has invested about NT$500 million (US$15.7 million) in capital expenditure for this initiative. Its pilot production line in Zhongli is scheduled for completion in July 2026, with sample delivery and validation set to begin shortly thereafter.
Monday 13 April 2026
Nan Pao posts record March and 1Q26 revenue driven by semiconductors and new products
Nan Pao Resins Chemical Group reported a historic revenue high for March, reaching NT$2.4 billion (approx. US$75.3 million), up 17.4% year-over-year, fueled by raw material price fluctuations and customers' proactive stockpiling ahead of expected product price hikes. The company also achieved a record first-quarter revenue of NT$5.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026, supported by ongoing new product development and successful expansion into new customer segments.
Saturday 11 April 2026
BenQ Materials expands into semiconductor processes, targets advanced nodes

BenQ Materials is expanding into semiconductor materials, with president Ray Liu saying the company has entered CMP cleaning brush rollers and begun shipments to wafer fabs. It is also developing wafer grinding tapes and UV debonding tapes, which are currently under customer validation and could begin shipping as early as the end of 2026.

Friday 10 April 2026
Eclat Forever Machinery secures large IC substrate orders with visibility to 2027
High-end ABF substrate wet process equipment maker Eclat Forever Machinery (EF) announced that, driven by clear expansion momentum from domestic IC substrate customers, capital expenditures will significantly increase starting in 2026. The company expects related production capacity to remain fully utilized through the end of the year, targeting double-digit revenue growth for the full year.
Friday 10 April 2026
Cmsemicon seeks suppliers to expand MCU production as supply tightness remains primary limitation
Shenzhen China Micro Semicon (Cmsemicon) chairman and general manager Yang Yong announced that the microcontroller unit (MCU) market is gradually recovering and that prices are gradually rebounding. However, the main problem at present remains tight supply, he said during the company's 2025 annual results and dividends briefing held on April 9.
Friday 10 April 2026
Exclusive: SpaceX delays FOPLP, PCB yield as execs plan April Taiwan visit
Elon Musk's SpaceX is facing production challenges at its newly built fan-out panel-level packaging (FOPLP) and printed circuit board (PCB) factories in Texas, delaying full-scale manufacturing until mid-2027. Industry sources say that despite nearly complete equipment installation, yields remain below expectations, prompting a postponement of mass production schedules.
Friday 10 April 2026
Demand for AI infrastructure spreads shortages beyond memory chips to MLCCs

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.

Friday 10 April 2026
AUO eyes CPO and LEO satellites as Innolux pushes FOPLP growth
AUO and Innolux are accelerating their expansion beyond traditional display panels, with Innolux's non-display revenue surpassing 51% in 2025, mainly driven by automotive applications. AUO also aims to obtain a non-display revenue share exceeding 50% in 2026.