Samsung Electro-Mechanics Extends MLCC Delivery Lead Times Across All Lines to 52 Weeks as AI Server Demand Exacerbates Supply Tightness

On October 21, citing data from Korean Mirae Asset Securities via Wall Street CN, Samsung Electro-Mechanics' lead times for low-capacity, high-capacity, and automotive MLCC products have extended from over 30 weeks in September to 52 weeks in October, indicating that some customers may face waits of approximately one year after placing orders. Lead times for main MLCC products from Taiwanese manufacturer YAGEO also remain between 30 and 52 weeks.

This wave of extended lead times has spread from high-capacity and high-performance products to low-capacity and automotive-grade products. Delivery cycles for other manufacturers such as NIC Components, Viking, and Samwha have also lengthened to varying degrees, with multiple companies continuing to maintain upward pricing trends.

AI servers serve as a key driver of demand growth in this cycle, with MLCC usage per unit reaching over ten times that of standard servers. Samsung Electro-Mechanics' component division saw its capacity utilization rate hit 91% in the first half of this year, and its expansion project in the Philippines is not expected to achieve mass production until after 2027. Consequently, short-term supply pressures remain unlikely to ease significantly.