Kemet, a passive components manufacturer under the Yageo Group, has notified customers of a price increase for its tantalum capacitors by 20% to 30%, effective November 1st. This marks the company's second price hike this year, now extending beyond distributors to include direct clients, indicating broad market pressure.
The surge is primarily driven by surging demand from AI applications. AI servers, in particular, have high power requirements, significantly boosting the need for high-performance passive components like capacitors. This trend is part of a broader "inflationary" trend in the upstream electronics supply chain, where components from memory chips to high-end passive parts are facing tight supply and rising prices.
Analysts note that the AI and new energy sectors are creating massive new demand. For instance, an electric vehicle uses six times the MLCCs of a traditional car, while AI servers, PCs, and phones see demand increases of 100%, 40-60%, and 20% respectively. This has led to warnings of potential passive component shortages by 2026.
ICgoodFind : The AI-driven demand surge for passive components is likely to sustain price increases, benefiting firms with core production capacity and reshaping the industry landscape.
