China’s largest foundry says shortages are spreading to mature-node chips, with some AI-driven demand visible through the end of 2027
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) is actively looking at adding equipment in its factories after demand for mature-node chips used alongside AI processors surged beyond expectations, according to company management.
from its forecasts earlier this year,driven by a global artificial intelligence infrastructure boom that was triggering shortages across AI-related supporting chips.
“Future wafer starts are far exceeding our previous expectations,” co-CEO Zhao Haijun said during an earnings call, referring to the volume of new chip batches entering the production line.
Zhao said SMIC was adjusting its expansion plans and may install additional equipment at existing sites where space was available, with further details to be disclosed in upcoming announcements or briefings.
Demand was particularly strong for supporting chips in AI servers and data centres – including logic chips, power-management products and optical module components. Orders for BCD (bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) power-management products were visible through the end of 2027, Zhao added.
The demand surgecomes as SMIC operates close to what management said was its practical capacity limit.