Electronics Supply Chain Weekly Digest 09-15-23
TSMC has told major equipment suppliers to delay delivery of high-end machines due to the company growing increasingly nervous about customer demand, according to Reuters citing sources. The instructions by TSMC are aimed at controlling costs and reflecting the company’s growing caution about the outlook for demand.
Headlines:
Auto
- BMW scraps plans to charge subscription fees for heated seats
- China auto retail sales up 14% Y/Y from Sep 1 to 10; NEV sales up 40%
- Gartner forecasts EV shipments globally to grow 35% in 2023 and 19% in 2024
- The European Union launches investigation of Chinese EV imports; to weigh additional tariffs
- Auto Imports from China to Germany jumped 75% in 1H23 but Chinese-made vehicles account for only 1.5% of sales finds study
- SAIC expects to sell more than 1.2 million units outside of China in 2023
- US auto dealer sentiment steady Q/Q but still cautious says Cox Automotive
- UAW launches targeted strikes after negotiations with Detroit Three fail
- US auto sales were flat M/M in August according to Census Bureau data
- EV sales in the US have reached 7% of the total in 1H23 and have surpassed 1M run rate over the last 12 months
- VW is cutting planned staffing at its all-EV plant in Germany citing market conditions and slower demand
Industrial
- Japanese tool orders declined more than expected in July signaling a continued cautious investment environment for Industrial equipment
- 3M warned of slower growth environment in the current quarter and in 2024
Distribution and EMS
- WT Microelectronics plans to acquire 100% of Future Electronics for $3.8B
Semiconductors
- Diodes Inc. expands its portfolio of automotive voltage regulators
- GlobalFoundries has opened its new $4B fab in Singapore
- Intel plans to sell 10% stake of IMS Nanofabrication business to TSMC
- Intel expands its FPGA line-up with cost-optimized offerings
- Microchip teams up with Intelligent Hardware Korea (IHWK) to develop an analog compute platform to accelerate edge AI/ML inferencing
- Advanced packing restriction could be the next wave of US bans targeting China speculate in Asia
- Global fab equipment spending forecasted to decline 15% in 2023 and then rebound 15% in 2024 according to SEMI
- Sensata launches two new Gigavac contractors for high-voltage applications
- Qualcomm and Apple have extended agreement for supply of 5G modems to iPhones until 2026
- Qualcomm’s Snapdragon to be the new shirt partner for Manchester United starting 2024/2025
- TSMC has formed silicon photonics R&D team to work with Nvidia and Broadcom to optimize AI optical transmission applications
- TSMC reportedly growing more optimistic about investing in a second fab in Japan amid frustration with US fab
Consumer
- Apple introduced iPhone 15 asking $100 more for Pro Max models
- China has not banned iPhones claims a Chinese foreign minister while vaguely mentioning security incidents with Apple’s devices
- China mobile shipments declined 16% M/M in July, worse than seasonal according to China MIIT data
- Google extends the lifespan of Chromebooks to 10 years potentially elongating the refresh cycle
Source:
Edgewater Research
