IHS iSuppli reported that the Japanese earthquake has resulted in the suspension of one-quarter of the global production of silicon wafers used to make semiconductors.

Manufacturing operations have stopped at both the Shin-Etsu Handotai (SEH) Shirakawa facility and the Utsunomiya plant of MEMC Electronic Materials Inc., which together account for 25 percent of the global supply of silicon wafers used to make semiconductors.

The SEH Shirakawa facility produces 300mm wafers used mainly for DRAM and NAND memories, resulting in a larger impact on memory production than other types of semiconductors.

Because of this, the global supply of memory semiconductors will be impacted the most severely of any segment of the chip industry by the production stoppage. Logic devices represent the next largest use of these wafers. A 25 percent reduction in supply could have a major effect on worldwide semiconductor production.

Shin-Etsu’s Shirakawa plant is responsible for 20 percent of global silicon semiconductor wafer supply. The plant is located in Nishigo Village, Fukushima Prefecture. Shin-Etsu reported that there has been damage to the plant’s production facilities and equipment. To compensate for the lost manufacturing, Shin-Etsu said it would set up production systems at other facilities. However, the company warned it was unclear how long it would take to restore the damaged facilities and equipment.

MEMC said it evacuated employees and suspended operations at its Utsunomiya plant after the earthquake. The Utsunomiya facility accounts for 5 percent of worldwide semiconductor wafer supply. MEMC said it expects that shipments from this facility will be delayed during the near term.

In another development for the global electronics supply chain, two Japanese companies announced they have stopped production that amounts to 70 percent of the worldwide supply of copper-clad laminate (CCL), the main raw material used to make printed circuit boards (PCBs).

The companies, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc. and Hitachi Kasei Polymer Co. Ltd., said they will resume CCL production within two weeks.

With current inventory levels, IHS iSuppli said it believes that there likely is a sufficient supply of finished PCBs and raw CCL material to keep electronics production lines running at global electronics manufacturers, as long as the interruption doesn’t last significantly longer than two weeks.

Elpida Memory Inc. said its semiconductor assembly facility in Yamagata has been damaged. The company also said a lack of electricity is impacting production, keeping the Yamagata facility’s utilization rate at less than 50 percent.

Confirming what IHS iSuppli noted in a previous release, AKM Semiconductor said its fab producing electronics compasses for the iPad 2 has not been damaged, as previously reported. The main fab for the production of the compass is located in Nobeoka, in southern Japan, and did not suffer damage or power disruptions

IHS iSuppli reported that the Japanese earthquake has resulted in the suspension of one-quarter of the global production of silicon wafers used to make semiconductors.

Manufacturing operations have stopped at both the Shin-Etsu Handotai (SEH) Shirakawa facility and the Utsunomiya plant of MEMC Electronic Materials Inc., which together account for 25 percent of the global supply of silicon wafers used to make semiconductors.

The SEH Shirakawa facility produces 300mm wafers used mainly for DRAM and NAND memories, resulting in a larger impact on memory production than other types of semiconductors.

Because of this, the global supply of memory semiconductors will be impacted the most severely of any segment of the chip industry by the production stoppage. Logic devices represent the next largest use of these wafers. A 25 percent reduction in supply could have a major effect on worldwide semiconductor production.

Shin-Etsu’s Shirakawa plant is responsible for 20 percent of global silicon semiconductor wafer supply. The plant is located in Nishigo Village, Fukushima Prefecture. Shin-Etsu reported that there has been damage to the plant’s production facilities and equipment. To compensate for the lost manufacturing, Shin-Etsu said it would set up production systems at other facilities. However, the company warned it was unclear how long it would take to restore the damaged facilities and equipment.

MEMC said it evacuated employees and suspended operations at its Utsunomiya plant after the earthquake. The Utsunomiya facility accounts for 5 percent of worldwide semiconductor wafer supply. MEMC said it expects that shipments from this facility will be delayed during the near term.

In another development for the global electronics supply chain, two Japanese companies announced they have stopped production that amounts to 70 percent of the worldwide supply of copper-clad laminate (CCL), the main raw material used to make printed circuit boards (PCBs).

The companies, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc. and Hitachi Kasei Polymer Co. Ltd., said they will resume CCL production within two weeks.

With current inventory levels, IHS iSuppli said it believes that there likely is a sufficient supply of finished PCBs and raw CCL material to keep electronics production lines running at global electronics manufacturers, as long as the interruption doesn’t last significantly longer than two weeks.

Elpida Memory Inc. said its semiconductor assembly facility in Yamagata has been damaged. The company also said a lack of electricity is impacting production, keeping the Yamagata facility’s utilization rate at less than 50 percent.

Confirming what IHS iSuppli noted in a previous release, AKM Semiconductor said its fab producing electronics compasses for the iPad 2 has not been damaged, as previously reported. The main fab for the production of the compass is located in Nobeoka, in southern Japan, and did not suffer damage or power disruptions.

The earthquake has damaged about 40 percent of the total wafer capacity of Renesas Electronics Corp. The company has stopped production at its Tsugaru fabs producing analog and discrete devices, at its Naka facility making system-on-chip and microcontroller devices, and at its Takasaki and Kofu fabs making analog and discrete parts.

Half of the total wafer capacity at Fujitsu has been damaged. While the company’s fabs and wafer equipment are intact, the shortage of electricity, gas and wafers means it will take three or four weeks for the company to recovery production, IHS iSuppli reported.

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The earthquake has damaged about 40 percent of the total wafer capacity of Renesas Electronics Corp. The company has stopped production at its Tsugaru fabs producing analog and discrete devices, at its Naka facility making system-on-chip and microcontroller devices, and at its Takasaki and Kofu fabs making analog and discrete parts.

Half of the total wafer capacity at Fujitsu has been damaged. While the company’s fabs and wafer equipment are intact, the shortage of electricity, gas and wafers means it will take three or four weeks for the company to recovery production, IHS iSuppli reported.