Memory module supplier Transcend Information Inc (創見) yesterday said it has inked long-term agreements with multiple chipmakers to secure supplies amid recent memory shortages.
As the world’s major memory makers shift more capacity to make advanced chips, mainly high-bandwidth memory chips for artificial intelligence (AI) applications, there has been significant declines in chip supplies of DR3 and DDR4 DRAM, and NAND flash memory, along with price surges over the past few months.
“While upstream manufacturers are experiencing capacity constraints and tighter supply conditions, they remain committed to supplying to Transcend and supporting us in minimizing any impact on our customers,” the company said in a statement. “We will continue to prioritize the needs of our existing partners and uphold stable and reliable shipments.”
Photo: Grace Hung, Taipei Time
Chinese-language media reported that SanDisk Corp and Samsung Electronics Co last week notified Transcend of a delay in chip shipments and of a substantial reduction in supply allocation this quarter.
The Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) on Wednesday reported that Transcend planned to raise prices, after market prices soared by between 50 percent and 100 percent last week.
Transcend last month told investors that it expected a severe shortage of DRAM and NAND flash memory chips, adding that it had built significant DDR4 inventory to ensure sufficient supply to customers over the next year, while its DDR3 inventory would meet customers’ needs over the next two years.
It came as the company’s major NAND flash memory supplier, SanDisk, raised prices by 50 percent for chips slated to be delivered last month due to the greater squeeze on supply.
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