AI demand drives record MLCC shipments by Japanese and Korean firms

Strong demand for artificial‑intelligence computing power has propelled the multi‑layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) market to new heights. In June, Japan's Murata, South Korea's Samsung Electro‑Mechanics and Taiwan's Taiyo Yuden all posted monthly shipment volumes that marked the highest levels in the past five years, with Murata delivering about 1.4 trillion pieces, Samsung Electro‑Mechanics around 980 billion and Taiyo Yuden roughly 400 billion.

The surge in AI‑focused orders has spilled over into consumer‑grade segments, boosting demand for Taiwanese and Chinese manufacturers and lifting component prices. Distributors have raised prices by 20‑25 percent, while spot‑market rates have climbed to two‑ to three‑times the previous levels. High‑capacitance, low‑voltage, small‑size MLCCs used in AI servers such as Google’s TPU and AWS Trainium continue to see robust demand, even as consumer electronics remain weak. Industry observers expect high‑end, high‑capacitance MLCC prices to stay elevated through the second half of the year, sustaining overall growth in the passive‑component sector.