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.

Looking ahead, Taiwan's printed circuit board giant Zhen Ding Technology expects a strong growth trajectory beginning in the second quarter, as clients ramp up production on next-generation platforms. The company projects that momentum in its server and optical communications businesses will expand quarter by quarter, while its IC substrate segment is set to benefit from robust AI computing demand, driving sequential growth. Zhen Ding anticipates entering a new phase of accelerated expansion in 2026.

Prices for gallium arsenide (GaA) substrates — a key material used in power amplifiers for wireless communications — are rising, driven by surging costs for gallium, a critical upstream metal. After months of sustained increases in raw material prices, industry executives say a reversal appears unlikely.

Samsung and SK Hynix delivered record performance in 2025, driven by strong investment in AI infrastructure. Yet the gains have not flowed upstream. Materials and component suppliers are facing a second consecutive year of price cuts, with contract terms for 2026 again revised lower.