SEMI: Chip Shortage May Extend into 2024

SHANGHAI, Jun 23 (SMM) - The International Semiconductor Industry Association (SEMI) said on June 21 that as the Russian-Ukrainian war continues to threaten the supply of raw materials such as key special gases for semiconductors, the world may continue to face the problem of chip shortages until 2024. In addition, the SEMI also warned that there may be risks after a large-scale expansion of wafer fabs in the future.

The Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on global product supply chains by disrupting production and transportation. Under the influence of various external factors, the average delivery time of equipment manufacturers has increased from 3-4 months to 10-12 months. Although a large number of wafer fabs will be put into operation around the world in the future to meet the growing demand for semiconductors, it is difficult for these factories to start operation in a short period of time.

Many semiconductor manufacturers are currently expanding their production capacity, which may make the supply and demand more balanced in the next two years. However, the industry is most worried about the lack of the necessary equipment to manufacture chips.