The global chip shortage problem is difficult to solve, many manufacturers have expanded the factory, expanded production to digest the huge demand, but in a short period of time a large number of factories also let the semiconductor production equipment appear in short supply, the delivery time of new equipment has even been extended to more than 18 months, many manufacturers turn to seek second-hand equipment, especially in the mainland market, the price has more than tripled in the past two years, some foreign media believe that the United States on the mainland mature process restrictions are less than advanced processes, so that the mainland to strengthen investment in this field, The shortage of chip equipment is even worse.
Nikkei Asia Review reported that because demand has long been overloaded, the current delivery time of chip production equipment has been extended from 12 months to about 18 months, but second-hand equipment can be obtained in just one month, allowing the second-hand market to flourish, and many leasing companies and brokers will also buy unsuitable machines from chip manufacturers of advanced processes and resell them.
The report pointed out that the price of second-hand chip production equipment has soared, especially in the mainland market, the price of second-hand lithography machines has doubled, a phenomenon that reflects the huge investment in automobile and electrical chips by manufacturers, which is a less advanced but profitable field.
Shuji Kumazawa, senior vice president of SurplusGLOBAL Japan, a supplier of used chip production equipment, said, "This is an unprecedented boom in used semiconductor equipment, and as soon as the goods enter the market, buyers will immediately appear."
The price of second-hand equipment will be based on the use of the situation and the age of the machine price, some equipment rentals said that some of the most high-end equipment has doubled 5 times, for the production of cars and electrical chips mature process equipment shortage is the most serious, at this stage in some cases, the price of second-hand equipment and the price of new products is the same.
The report mentioned that the mainland has invested a lot of money in the production line of mature processes, although the United States has imposed strict export restrictions on advanced chip equipment, but there are few controls on old products, which has increased the output of mature processes a lot, which in turn has caused pressure on equipment supply, and Moriaki Abe, CEO of used equipment supplier Haightec Systems, said, "The price of used chip production equipment may continue to maintain a high water level until the end of this year."
The challenge of outstripping supply of semiconductor production equipment also arises from TSMC, the fab foundry leader, and TSMC President Wei Zhejia said last week, "I am working hard to solve all the problems for equipment suppliers, and I have sent multiple teams to assist equipment suppliers."
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