Semiconductor Substrate Industry Concerned About Pressure to Cut Delivery Prices in the Second Half

Major midsized semiconductor substrate manufacturers left out of the raw material cost linkage system are worried about worsening profitability in the second half of the year. The concern stems from the possibility that delivery prices, which were only slightly adjusted earlier this year after a sharp rise in raw material costs such as gold and copper, could return to their original levels. The substrate industry is calling for an expanded application of the cost linkage system as well as cooperative support from major semiconductor manufacturer customers.
According to industry sources on the 30th, major domestic semiconductor substrate manufacturers are currently negotiating second half delivery prices with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Substrate manufacturers reportedly want additional price increases, citing still elevated purchase costs for raw materials such as gold and copper and the current semiconductor boom. Semiconductor manufacturers, on the other hand, are reportedly considering rolling back prices in the second half, since delivery prices were already raised somewhat in the first quarter.
An Youngwoo, Secretary General of the Korea PCB and Semiconductor Packaging Industry Association (KPCA), pointed out that many substrate manufacturers currently in negotiations are receiving requests from customers to lower second half delivery prices, and that if these cuts go through, the increase from the first quarter could be completely erased.
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix reportedly raised semiconductor substrate delivery prices by an average of three to four percent earlier this year, a move that partly reflected substrate makers' demands amid heavy raw material cost pressure. However, as gold and copper prices have gradually stabilized, negotiations appear to have shifted toward price cuts. The substrate industry believes delivery prices could be lowered as early as next month.
This would allow semiconductor manufacturers to maximize their profits, but it would leave the substrate industry unable to escape a "double burden" of still high raw material costs and lower delivery prices. Many in the industry agree this could hold back growth in the substrate sector, since slower profit growth may limit capital investment and next generation technology development.
The substrate industry is united in calling for delivery price cuts to be postponed for now, arguing that mutual growth requires spreading the benefits of the current semiconductor boom not only to chipmakers but also to their substrate partners.
An added that midsized substrate companies play a key role connecting large corporations and small businesses within Korea's domestic semiconductor supply chain, and that they are important to maintaining the competitiveness of the semiconductor industry as a whole. He said semiconductor manufacturers need to discuss substrate delivery prices as part of a cooperative effort to secure a sustainable and competitive supply chain.
There are also calls for building a sustainable cooperation model over the long term, so that substrate makers, who have accumulated cost pressure from rising raw material prices, can continue investing in R&D, production facilities, and quality competitiveness. This is because the substrate industry's structure makes it highly sensitive to raw material price fluctuations. In particular, if the cost burden from sharp raw material price spikes falls disproportionately on substrate manufacturers, it could reduce their capacity to invest and weaken their technological competitiveness.
To address this situation, KPCA proposed the following: reviewing an expanded application of the delivery payment linkage system for midsized companies and improving the system to better share the risk of raw material price fluctuations; forming a supply chain cooperation council involving the government, National Assembly, and industry; expanding policy support for key midsized companies in the semiconductor supply chain; and building a cooperative framework to secure sustainable supply chain competitiveness.