AKM Factory Fire: Delays Expected
On October 21, 2020, Asahi Kasei Microsystems (AKM) issued a press release that a fire broke out at 4:45 pm at their Nobuoka semiconductor Plant “Fab2”.
This factory mainly produces large-scale integrated circuits (LSI) used in audio equipment, home appliances, TCXO oscillator, and other products. Due to the recent fire, AKM has been forced to stop production and delays are to be expected.
According to Japanese media, this factory is AKM’s only LSI production base, but AKM has previously entrusted some LSI production to external companies. With direct production shut down, AKM has collaborated with certain outside parties, including manufacturing contractors, to prepare for the outsourcing of production as outlined in the below diagram.
Business Impact
AKM Products
According to the Chinese semiconductor distributor CGoC Industrial Electronics, The Nobeoka plant of AKM is known for the production of high-end DACs/ADCs IC components for superior audio devices. It is suspected that the global supply of AKM series IC components will be disrupted, including:
- The DAC/AUDIO AK4332, AK4331, AK4432, AK4382, AK4385, AK4373, AK4396, AK4431, AK4456, AK4490, AK4493, AK4495 series
- Potentially the ADC/AUDIO AK5384, AK5385, AK5386, AK5397, AK5534 series
TCXO oscillator products
Asahi Kasei Microsystem (AKM) semiconductor chips are used in a significant proportion of the world’s supply of high stability components including TCXOs and some oscillators. It is important to know and address the suppliers that are not impacted by this AKM fire and the potential production delays or outsource changes. Here is an initial list of suppliers impacted by this event, which includes Abracon, ILSI, and MMD product families.
The Abracon team is assessing the effects on their own production of Abracon’s TCXOs. Abracon recently issued a press release stating: “Abracon, uses products produced at the factory for many of its TCXO oscillator products) and at this time, there is limited information on the actual effect the fire will have on production and supply.” The Abracon technical team is evaluating potential alternative solutions to assist customers through these challenging times and will communicate these alternative solutions as they become available.
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For more information on this announcement and its impact please visit:
https://abracon.com/news/asahi-kasei-microsystem-factory-fire-in-nobeoka-japan
https://www.cgocmall.com/news/semiconductor_akm_cgelectronics-288_a2c45.html
Original blog post from SiliconExpert:
https://www.siliconexpert.com/blog/akm-factory-fire-delays-expected/