Samsung Electronics is facing escalating labor tensions after its largest union secured approval for a strike, raising concerns over potential disruptions to semiconductor production at a critical juncture for the global AI supply chain, according to Korean media reports, including SEDaily and Chosun Ilbo.
Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of March 16-22, 2026:
Elon Musk has unveiled one of his most ambitious industrial visions yet: a "Terafab" that would allow Tesla and SpaceX to design and manufacture their own semiconductors for artificial intelligence, robotics, and even space-based data centers. While the project reflects Musk's sweeping vision of a vertically integrated, AI-driven future, analysts and industry realities suggest the plan may face formidable technical, financial, and structural obstacles.
Driven by massive demand from cloud AI, silicon photonics continues to gain momentum. At the Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC 2026), industry players engaged in in-depth discussions on the current state of co-packaged optics (CPO) mass production. IC design experts observed that, compared with previous OFC events, which focused primarily on new technological breakthroughs, the industry in 2026 is clearly more concerned with whether solutions can be delivered on time.
Niche copper-clad laminate (CCL) manufacturer Ventec expects to achieve double-digit revenue growth in 2026, driven by ongoing product price increases and strategic expansion into specialized markets such as defense aerospace and semiconductor test interfaces. Currently, special materials account for 50% of its revenue, positioning the company for what it predicts will be a robust order fulfillment phase.
Japanese optical component and office equipment maker Konica Minolta said on March 18 it will scale up its optical components business for semiconductor inspection systems, targeting revenue of JPY15 billion (approx. US$94.1 million) in the fiscal year ending March 2031 (April 2030-March 2031). The segment is projected to generate JPY2.5 billion in fiscal 2025.
Daxin Materials is expanding its semiconductor materials portfolio while maintaining optimization efforts in display materials. The company expects 2026 display material revenue to remain broadly flat year on year, with growth driven by liquid crystal alignment films. Cholesteric liquid crystal alignment films are expected to enter mass production in 2026.
India is rapidly positioning itself as a strategic hub for semiconductors, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. Japanese and domestic chipmakers expand local operations, the 2026 budget offers tax and import incentives, solar wafer sourcing is mandated, and Reliance secures a US$3 billion green ammonia deal with Samsung, highlighting supply chain and energy transitions.
Samsung Electronics is accelerating the expansion of its high-bandwidth memory (HBM) backend capacity at its Cheonan campus while preparing a transition to next-generation bonding technologies, as competition shifts from chip performance to packaging capabilities, according to NewDaily.
Samsung Electronics' labor union has voted overwhelmingly to initiate dispute proceedings following a breakdown in wage negotiations, raising concerns over potential disruptions to the supply of HBM4 memory for Nvidia's next-generation AI accelerators.
TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei contrasted viral videos of acrobatic robots from China with the functional requirements of high-performance service robotics, noting that mechanical agility remains "just for show" without the advanced silicon "brains".
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