SINGAPORE — Seasonal demand has caught the subcontractor community by surprise, causing worldwide shortages of chip-scale packages (CSPs) and PBGA products, warned a vendor in the industry.
Reports have also surfaced that there are growing shortages and price hikes for chip-packaging materials, such as lead frames and substrates. The move has prompted some subcontractors to pass on the costs and raise their prices for select packages.
Chip-packaging utilization continues to rise in the industry amid growing demand, which started in the third quarter or so of 2005, said Scott Jewler, chief strategy officer and vice president of sales for Europe and Asia at Singapore’s STATS ChipPAC Ltd.
“Capacity is tight for certain products,” Jewler said in an interview at the company’s headquarters here. “I think that caught people by surprise.”
Worldwide shortages of PBGA packages are the most surprising phenomena, he said. PBGA packages are used for PC and graphics applications. “That technology is mature,” he said.
Given the demand for stacked-die products in handsets and other products, it’s no surprise that CSPs are in short supply.
Demand — and possible shortages — for chip-packaging services are expected to last at least until the first quarter of 2006, according to industry sources.
On the other hand, some believe that visibility remains low. “It’s anybody’s guess,” Jewler said.
RSS
Digital
10 emerging technologies to watch:
EE Times has compiled a list of emerging technologies that we think will be worth watching out for in 2010. Biofeedback or thought-control of electronics are among the contenders.
Hot applications in 2010:
We've compiled a list of 10 technology applications you should watch for in 2010, ranging from e-book readers to 3-D TVs. We examine the features that make these apps so compelling as well unresolved issues.
Top 25 predictions for semis in 2010:
2010 is just beginning to unfold in the electronics industry. Looking into our crystal ball, we have released our own chip forecasts--and other predictions--for 2010.
Seven things to fix in 2010:
The editors of EE Times came up with their own informal list of things we hope engineers fix in 2010, spanning everything from nano-lithography to space travel. What do you want to see get done this year?
'09 moves that are shaping the future:
This was a brutal year, but the industry gets a nod for showing grace under fire. Here's our Top 10 guide to the coming year, illustrating what to expect in 2010.
10 CEOs out in 2009:
It's been a tough year for the global electronics industry and CEOs. We survey the dismissal of 10 industry CEOs during the first three quarters of 2009 and what's ahead for the rest of the year.
Notable women in microelectronics:
There is no better time than a global economic recession to examine the keys to successful corporate governance. So, EE Times has compiled an international list that celebrates women who are business and technology leaders in semis.
EE Times updates Silicon 60:
Seventeen companies have been added to the lastest version of our Silicon 60 list of emerging startups. Forty-three companies survived as emerging companies that are still worth watching.
RSS| 
Digital| 
Mobile
