SEMI: alternative sources are hard to find, chip shortage for another 2 years

As the Russian-Ukrainian conflict continues to threaten the supply of key special gases and other raw materials for semiconductors, the world is afraid that by 2024 will continue to face the problem of global chip shortage.

According to Nikkei Asian Review, SEMI President and CEO Ajit Manocha said on the 21st, due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict led to a shortage of inert gases and other key materials, chip supply is expected to continue to be tight in the next two years.

Ajit Manocha said that chip manufacturers are currently trying to find alternatives to raw materials purchased from Ukraine, but can replace the source of supply of raw materials for Ukrainian chips is really difficult to find, mainly high-purity rare gases, such as neon, helium and krypton.

Ajit Manocha believes that the global supply chain crunch is expected to be eased in 2024, because even if demand surges, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict will continue to hamper supply.

Ajit Manocha said that although 92 new chip plants will come on line globally in the next few years to meet surging semiconductor demand, the situation will be difficult to improve until all plants are up and running. He said many semiconductor manufacturers are expanding capacity, there is an opportunity to make the next two years of supply and demand more balanced, but the industry's biggest concern at present, or the lack of necessary equipment to manufacture chips.