News / Taiwan / cnyes

WinWay to Boost Capacity by 50% by 2027 Amid Surging AI Chip Testing Demand

Electronic Technology · Semiconductors · cnyes · 2026-09-02

6515

WinWay Technology plans to expand its production capacity by 50% by mid-2027 to meet the rising demand for high-end testing sockets driven by complex AI chips.

What Happened

Surging AI Testing Demand: Driven by the trend toward larger packages and higher pin counts in AI chips, WinWay Technology has secured over 20 projects exceeding 10,000 pins. Executive VP Chen Shao-kun noted that the primary challenge for the AI industry remains supply chain capacity rather than a lack of end-user demand.

Rising Complexity and Lead Times: The increasing complexity of AI chip architectures and advanced packaging has extended testing cycles, pushing lead times for sockets from 8 weeks to 13-14 weeks. This shift is driving both higher average selling prices and increased volume requirements as clients scramble to maintain production throughput.

Capacity Expansion Strategy: To address the anticipated demand over the next few years, WinWay is aggressively expanding its internal capacity, targeting a 50% increase by the second or third quarter of 2027. The company is also utilizing outsourcing for non-core processes to maintain supply chain flexibility while retaining key proprietary technologies.

Industry Outlook: With AI chip pin counts expected to approach 20,000 in the near future, the company anticipates a dual growth engine of higher unit prices and increased socket consumption. The broader testing supply chain is expected to face significant capacity constraints over the next three years, as building new facilities remains a time-intensive process.

Read original