ASML Head: “Semiconductor Recession Until Next Year… Slow Recovery in Cars and Mobile”
The CEO of Dutch semiconductor equipment company ASML predicted on the 16th (local time) that the recovery of the semiconductor market will be delayed until next year.
“The recovery is not happening at the pace that everyone hopes for,” said CEO Puke. “If there was no AI today, the market would be very bleak.” He said demand for AI-related servers is strong, but demand recovery in the automotive, mobile, and PC markets is particularly slow.
Accordingly, ASML is planning to postpone its short-term investment plans depending on the market situation.
Bloomberg pointed out that the remarks by the CEO of ASML, which serves as a barometer for the semiconductor industry as a whole, showed that the AI craze is not a panacea for solving the problems of the semiconductor industry.
TEL Korea Starts Operating ‘Semiconductor Manufacturing R&D Center’ in Hwaseong
Semiconductor equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron Korea (TEL Korea) has begun operating a semiconductor manufacturing process R&D center, TEL Technology Center Korea-2. This is its third R&D center in Korea.
On the morning of the 17th, Tokyo Electron Korea held the completion ceremony for the ‘TEL Technology Center Korea-2’ with approximately 200 people in attendance, including Hwaseong Mayor Jeong Myeong-geun, Tokyo Electron (TEL) CEO Toshiki Kawai, and related businesspeople.
The ‘TEL Technology Center Korea-2’, located next to the existing TEL Hwaseong office, has a total floor area of approximately 39,200㎡ and is equipped with various facilities and equipment to research and develop cutting-edge technologies necessary for semiconductor manufacturing.
China, this time Intel security investigation possible… US-China ‘semiconductor conflict’ escalates
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 16th (local time), the China Cybersecurity Association (CSAC) petitioned the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), China’s information technology (IT) regulatory authority, to conduct a security audit of Intel’s central processing unit (CPU) semiconductors, claiming that they pose a threat to national security. Established in 2016 under the supervision of the CAC, the CSAC is an organization that includes major Chinese IT companies such as Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, and Huawei.
“This could be a precursor to authorities launching a formal investigation into Intel’s operations in China, a key market for the company,” the WSJ reported, adding that “Intel is at risk of being dragged into a new phase of the U.S.-China conflict over technology.”
Juseong Engineering, Semiconductor Silicon Capacitor ‘ALD’ Shipment
Juseong Engineering has commercialized the first ‘DTC (Deep Trench Capacitor)’ silicon capacitor atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment.
According to Joosung Engineering on the 17th, it shipped DTC silicon capacitor ALD equipment to be supplied to Elspeth. Elspeth is a fabless semiconductor company that focuses on silicon capacitors. Unlike existing ‘MLCC’, silicon capacitors are capacitors made of high-k compounds.
As the importance of high-performance, low-power AI semiconductors capable of processing and calculating large amounts of data increases due to the growth of the AI market, DTC silicon capacitors can supply voltage and current stably and without noise even in high-temperature and high-frequency environments compared to existing MLCCs.
Intel Seeks Investors to Sell Key Subsidiary Altera Stake
Intel, the American semiconductor company that is undergoing a major restructuring due to a management crisis, has been found to be contacting investors to sell shares of Altera, one of its major subsidiaries.
On the 17th (local time), CNBC reported, citing an anonymous source familiar with the matter, that Intel is looking for investors to acquire Altera shares in order to secure billions of dollars in cash. Since Intel acquired Altera for $16.7 billion (about 22.8923 trillion won) in 2015, it is expected that the company value of Altera in this share sale negotiation will be estimated at about $17 billion.
Intel has approached several private equity and strategic investors this week with offers to buy stakes in Altera, some of which could become majority shareholders, people familiar with the matter said.
“The US Department of Commerce is investigating whether TSMC made AI chips for China’s Huawei.”
The Information, an IT media outlet, reported on the 17th (local time), citing two anonymous sources, that the U.S. Department of Commerce has recently asked TSMC whether it was involved in manufacturing smartphones and AI chips for Huawei. The investigation is still in its early stages, and it is unclear how long it will take for the Department of Commerce to secure the data and reach a conclusion, the sources said.
Sources explained that the Commerce Department is investigating the possibility that Huawei may have indirectly purchased chips from TSMC by placing orders on its behalf through intermediaries with different names. They are looking closely at whether TSMC properly fulfilled its due diligence obligations to customers when receiving orders.
LB Semicon decides to merge semiconductor packaging subsidiary ‘LB Lusem’
LB Semiconductor, a semiconductor post-processing (OSAT) company, announced on the 18th that it has decided to absorb and merge its semiconductor packaging subsidiary LB Lusem.
LB Semicon plans to allocate new shares at a merger ratio of 1 to 1.1347948 for the issued shares of LB Lusem, excluding the merged shares (stocks of the acquired company held before the merger). The merger date is February 1, 2025, and the name of the surviving company after the merger will be maintained as LB Semicon. The current LB Semicon CEO Nam-seok Kim will continue to serve as the representative executive officer.
Through a public disclosure, LB Semicon stated the following as the purposes of the merger with LB Lusem: △Securing business competitiveness and market expansion through integrated post-processing services, △Securing human resource efficiency in technology and development, △Securing financial soundness and strengthening fund raising capabilities, and △Enhancing shareholder value through improved shareholding structure and mid- to long-term sustainable growth.
Apple Gives Up on ‘Electric Cars’, Collaborates with China’s BYD on Battery Development
On the 17th (local time), Bloomberg News reported, citing an inside source, that Apple had been working closely with BYD for several years to develop batteries as part of the canceled Apple Car project.
Apple and BYD joined forces around 2017 to build a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery system, with the goal of extending the lifespan and improving reliability compared to conventional electric vehicle batteries.
BYD did not comment on its collaboration with Apple, but said, “The Blade Battery was independently developed by our engineers, and we own complete property rights and patents for the Blade Battery.”
US electric car company Lucid raises 2 trillion won through stock issuance
The stock price of American electric car company Lucid plummeted on the 17th (local time) after it announced that it would raise large amounts of funds through a stock offering.
Lucid announced in a press release that day that it would issue additional common stock to raise approximately $1.67 billion (approximately KRW 2.29 trillion).
While the initial public offering of approximately 262.45 million shares is being conducted, Ayar Third Investment (hereinafter referred to as Ayar), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Lucid’s largest shareholder, has decided to purchase an additional 374.72 million shares of Lucid’s common stock.
Accordingly, Ayar’s stake in Lucid’s common stock will remain at approximately 58.8% even after the public offering, the company explained.
Huawei to unveil 200 million won electric car ‘Junje’ next month
An ultra-premium electric vehicle being developed by China’s largest telecommunications company Huawei in collaboration with state-owned automaker JAC Automobile will be unveiled at the Guangzhou Motor Show next month.
Wei Qingdong, CEO of Huawei’s Smart Car Solutions BU, announced at the ‘2024 World Smart Connected Car Conference’ held in Beijing, China on the 17th (local time), “We plan to unveil the premium electric vehicle ‘Zunjie’ at the Guangzhou Motor Show next month.”
He added, “(The Junje) is a high-performance electric vehicle with a factory price of over 1 million yuan (about 192 million won) and will be officially sold in the spring of next year.”
Hyundai Mobis accelerates its advance into Europe… First electric vehicle drive system factory
Hyundai Mobis, a key parts supplier of Hyundai Motor Group, is building an electric vehicle propulsion (PE) system plant in Slovakia to target Europe, the world’s second-largest electric vehicle market. Hyundai Mobis announced on the 16th that it signed a 350 billion won investment agreement with the Slovakian government, including the construction of a PE system plant in the Nowaki region. This is Hyundai Mobis’ third electrification base in Europe, following the Czech Republic and Spain, and its first PE system production base in Europe.
The PE system is an electric drive unit that integrates an electric motor, inverter, and reducer. It is an important component that acts as an engine and transmission in an internal combustion engine vehicle. This agreement also includes the construction of a braking system for electric vehicles at the existing Hyundai Mobis Zilina plant.
EST, ‘DPICO’ Sign MOU for Electric Cargo Vehicle Development
Energy solution specialist EST announced on the 17th that it is developing an energy-saving compact electric cargo vehicle in collaboration with electric vehicle company DPICO. The two companies signed an MOU at DPICO’s headquarters in Hoengseong, Gangwon-do on the same day and agreed to produce and supply ultra-compact cargo trucks that can reduce electricity usage by more than 30%.
Established in 1998, DPICO is a company that has achieved domestic production of over 85% of electric vehicles. It has an electric vehicle production plant in Hoengseong, Gangwon-do. In 2020, it was evaluated as having successfully achieved domestic production of ultra-compact electric vehicles by launching the domestic electric cargo vehicle ‘Portro’.
The key to this MOU signing is DPICO’s eco-friendly electric vehicle, the ‘P350’, which boasts a capacity of 2,100L and takes 40 to 50 minutes for fast charging and 4 to 5 hours for slow charging.
EU likely to implement tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles for now… BYD: “Consumer burden will increase”
An EU official said on the 14th (local time) that “we will not rule out the possibility of reaching a deal (with China), but it seems very difficult to reach an agreement by the end of October,” Reuters reported. The official added that “there are extremely complex and difficult issues that need to be resolved.”
In particular, he explained that while tariff negotiations on other products in the past targeted products with relatively simple characteristics, it would not be easy to find common ground because electric vehicles are so complex as a product.
The EU recently approved a plan to impose additional countervailing duties on Chinese electric vehicles that are heavily subsidized and sold at cheap prices, on top of the current 10% tariff, raising the final tariff rate to a maximum of 45.3%.
POSCO Future M, Pohang NCA cathode material dedicated plant in full operation
POSCO Future M (003670) announced on the 13th that it had started full-scale operation of its Pohang NCA (nickel, cobalt, aluminum) cathode material plant by shipping the first batch of products produced there on the 12th.
NCA cathode material is a high-nickel product with a nickel content of 88%. It uses cobalt, aluminum, and other raw materials in addition to nickel to increase the energy density and output of the battery, and is mainly used in high-performance electric vehicle batteries.
POSCO FutureM signed a supply contract worth approximately 40 trillion won with Samsung SDI in January of last year and is currently supplying NCA cathode materials using some of the lines at its Gwangyang plant. In order to respond to customer requests, the NCA cathode material dedicated plant under construction in Pohang with an annual capacity of 30,000 tons has been put into operation three months ahead of schedule, starting this month.
RNT Technology to Supply Autonomous Driving Components to Chinese Inertial Navigation Device Manufacturer
RNT Technology, a specialist in Lamic materials and components, announced on the 16th that it will supply couplers to a Chinese inertial navigation device manufacturer.
Inertial navigation systems are essential devices that provide real-time information on driver assistance systems and autonomous vehicles, such as location, speed, and direction. The global market size of inertial navigation systems is expected to grow from $10.38 billion (about 14 trillion won) in 2020 to $15.45 billion (about 21 trillion won) in 2028.
The Chinese inertial navigation device manufacturer that RNT Technology has chosen as its supplier is a company that has secured an exclusive position in the inertial navigation device market in China. Through this contract, RNT Technology plans to supply couplers to the manufacturer in earnest starting in 2025.
LS Mtron and Hanwha Aerospace Sign MOU for Development of Unmanned Autonomous Tractor Technology
LS Mtron, an industrial machinery company of the LS Group, announced on the 16th that it signed a business agreement (MOU) with Hanwha Aerospace for the development of fully unmanned autonomous tractor technology.
Through this MOU, the two companies will conduct joint research to develop a fully unmanned autonomous tractor technology based on an integrated navigation system. The integrated navigation system is a technology that combines satellite navigation systems and inertial navigation systems. It is a system that provides more precise location information.
An autonomous tractor that uses this system can estimate the direction and location without stopping when a GPS signal error occurs and proceed to the final location. In the future, LS Mtron plans to derive navigation sensor specifications for optimal performance of autonomous tractors. Hanwha Aerospace will verify the performance of the navigation system for tractor autonomous driving and sensor fusion.
‘Moray’ accelerates commercialization of autonomous driving
Self-driving simulation company Morai announced on the 15th that it has selected Samsung Securities as the lead manager for its initial public offering (IPO) with the goal of going public next year.
Founded in 2018, Morai is a simulation platform company that verifies the safety and reliability of autonomous and unmanned mobility systems such as autonomous vehicles and UAM (urban air mobility). It has attracted a total of KRW 30 billion in investment up to the Series B round.
The Morai simulation platform studies the entire process of perception, judgment, and control of autonomous driving systems and verifies whether autonomous driving algorithms operate as intended and maintain safety.
MDS Tech, MOU for Development of Autonomous Driving Platform and AI Solutions
MDS Tech, an AI (artificial intelligence) and embedded solution specialist, announced on the 11th that it has signed a strategic business agreement (MOU) with Polaris Office Group for the development of autonomous driving platforms and AI solutions.
According to the company, through this agreement, they will combine their respective technologies to develop and commercialize innovative AI solutions and autonomous driving platforms.
Polaris Office Group provides AI-based document solutions and cloud services through Polaris Office, a global AI software company. In addition, with the new incorporation of Polaris AI, the company is launching a full-scale AI solution construction business through its voice recognition technology and diverse system construction (SI) business history.
Tesla Allows ‘FSD Transfer’ in China
On the 15th, Tesla announced that it could transfer the FSD function to buyers in the Chinese market. The program is applicable to Tesla owners who ordered and received all models, including Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y, by December 31st of this year.
Once the FSD transfer is complete, Tesla owners will be able to transfer ownership of the FSD function of their existing vehicles when purchasing a new car. In Korea, a plan to transfer ownership of FSD was announced for existing owners who purchased Model S or Model X vehicles in April, and was temporarily applied until the end of September.
This is the second time Tesla has announced a similar policy in China, having previously announced one in July last year.
“OLED monitor shipments this year will reach 1.44 million units… 181% growth over the previous year”
It is forecasted that this year’s OLED (organic light-emitting diode) monitor shipments will reach 1.44 million units, an increase of 181% from the previous year.
Market research firm TrendForce predicted this on the 17th, saying, “Panel manufacturers are focusing on product differentiation and improving specifications, and some gaming brands are aggressively releasing new models to secure market share.”
By brand, Samsung is expected to maintain its top spot with brisk sales of 49-inch OLED monitors and a steady pipeline of new products. Its market share is expected to expand to 31% this year. LG Electronics is expected to take second place with a market share of 19%, thanks to its abundant panel resources and expanded product line.
Omdia: “Samsung D·BOE to supply MacBook OLED… Chinese subsidies to stimulate TV demand”
There is speculation that Samsung Display, which is expanding its 8.6-generation organic light-emitting diode (OLED) production line, and China’s BOE will supply OLED panels for Apple’s MacBook series of laptops.
David Hsu, Senior Director of Omdia Taiwan, said at the ‘2024 Korea Display Conference’ held at the L Tower in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 17th, “Samsung Display and BOE are investing in the 8.6th generation production line for information technology (IT) OLED.” “BOE is targeting the OLED that will be mounted on the MacBook Air, and Samsung Display is targeting the OLED that will be mounted on the MacBook Pro.”
Samsung Display and China’s BOE have begun investing trillions of won in facilities to expand their 8.6th generation lines. The 8.6th generation panels have a larger plate area than the 6th generation, allowing them to handle a larger volume.
Source: kipost.net