en.Wedoany.com Reported - Affected by both the Middle East conflict and Russian export controls, the global supply of helium, a key material for semiconductor manufacturing, is tightening. Several semiconductor manufacturers including TSMC, SMIC, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix responded on April 17th. According to a statement released by the Russian government on April 14th, temporary export controls on helium have been implemented to ensure stable domestic market supply, and these measures will remain in place until the end of 2027. Russian Prime Minister Mishustin stated that due to the Middle East conflict, global helium supply has decreased by nearly one-third. Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City was previously affected by the Middle East conflict, and production has come to a standstill. Ultra-high purity helium is a critical material for manufacturing advanced process chips, playing a core role in cooling, leak detection, and high-precision manufacturing processes during chip production.
TSMC management stated at the earnings conference on April 16th that due to factors including the Middle East situation, prices of certain chemicals and gases may rise, which is estimated to impact the company's profitability, but it is still too early to quantify the effect. TSMC management also stated that the company's strategy is to develop supply solutions from multiple sources, strengthen the foundation of a globalized and diversified supply chain, while improving the local supply chain for specialty chemicals and gases, including helium and hydrogen. TSMC has already prepared a safety stock list. A staff member from SMIC's securities affairs department told reporters that the company has multiple supply channels for helium, and the current supply is normal. In recent years, SMIC has been promoting multi-channel procurement preparations for raw materials.
A relevant person in charge at Samsung Electronics responded that Samsung has been promoting supply chain diversification and has already secured sufficient inventory, expecting minimal short-term impact. SK Hynix responded that it cannot comment on matters related to the current conflict. According to statements made by South Korean Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik at a press conference this week, the South Korean semiconductor industry has secured a four-month supply of helium, and chip manufacturers' inventories are maintained without major issues.
The process of helium localization in China has been steadily advancing in recent years. According to industry statistics, over 40 helium extraction plants have been successively put into operation in China since 2020, reducing the country's dependence on imported helium from nearly 100% in previous years to 84%. Including helium, the localization of electronic specialty gases used in fields like semiconductors is also accelerating. Several major overseas gas giants hold over 80% of the market share in China, but the market share of local Chinese companies is gradually expanding.
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