Chinese and Japanese Aluminum Capacitor Leaders Join the Price Hike

As the second half of the year begins, aluminum capacitors have entered a new round of price increases. Rubycon, Japan's third largest aluminum capacitor maker, has issued a price increase notice, raising prices starting August 1, and has not ruled out a possible second increase thereafter. Coincidentally, Jiang Hai, the leading Chinese aluminum capacitor maker, has also announced a price increase. With the leading aluminum capacitor makers in both China and Japan joining the price hike one after another, conditions have become favorable for Taiwanese makers to pass on cost pressure to their customers.
With Rubycon joining the price increase, Japan's top three aluminum capacitor makers, Nippon Chemicon, Nichicon, and Rubycon, have now effectively all moved to raise prices.
Because aluminum capacitors are used in smaller quantities in end devices than MLCCs or chip resistors, their price increases were relatively muted in past hike cycles. This time, however, the simultaneous increase by the leading Japanese makers amid the AI infrastructure boom is seen as unusual within the supply chain. Beyond the fact that the three Japanese makers ship considerable volumes for AI servers, the sharp rise in cost pressure for upstream raw materials such as lead pins and aluminum cases has supported this wave of price increases by the Japanese aluminum capacitor makers.
Rubycon, Japan's third largest aluminum capacitor maker, emphasized the following in its price increase notice. Although the Middle East is moving toward an end to conflict, crude oil prices remain at high levels and have already had a major impact on the prices and supply of petroleum related products. As a result, Rubycon's various suppliers have implemented broad price increases spanning raw materials, auxiliary materials, and even logistics costs.
Rubycon also noted that the prices of metal materials, centered on aluminum, copper, and tin, have continued to climb since last year, and that this upward trend has intensified further under the current circumstances. In particular, the prices of major raw materials remain at unprecedentedly high levels. Under present conditions, it has become extremely difficult for Rubycon to absorb the soaring costs through its own efforts alone. To stabilize supply and sustain the business, the company has regrettably decided to adjust the prices of its products, and depending on how the international situation develops going forward, it may adjust prices again.
According to Rubycon's price increase notice, the scope of the increase covers aluminum electrolytic capacitors, solid aluminum capacitors, and film capacitors, with the new prices expected to take effect from August 1, 2026.
Also in late June, Jiang Hai, the leading Chinese aluminum capacitor maker, sent a price increase notice to its customers. Jiang Hai likewise cited the continued sharp rise in raw material prices, such as aluminum foil, chemical raw materials, and carbon powder, along with electricity costs, noting that the upward trend has yet to ease. Given that the current cost structure has already far exceeded the original pricing model, the company stated that adjusting product prices was unavoidable. The scope of the adjustment covers three product categories: aluminum capacitors, film capacitors, and supercapacitors.