讀後心得

Due to the impact of weak market demand, the global semiconductor industry will face a wave of layoffs in 2025, posing challenges for tech talent. Several major chip manufacturers, such as ON Semiconductor, Microchip Technology, NXP Semiconductors, and STMicroelectronics, have announced layoff plans, with the number of affected positions potentially reaching thousands. ON Semiconductor will lay off 2,400 employees to reduce costs by approximately $105 million to $115 million per year; Microchip Technology will close its Arizona factory and lay off 2,000 employees; NXP plans to cut 1,800 jobs; while STMicroelectronics is considering early retirement options to reduce its workforce by 3,000 employees. This wave of layoffs is primarily driven by declining end-market demand, inflation, and geopolitical uncertainties, accompanied by delays in major engineering projects. Industry observers believe that the semiconductor industry is undergoing the most severe adjustment since 2018, and future recovery will depend on the easing of inflation and the progress of policy implementation.

Affected by weak market demand, the global semiconductor industry is facing a wave of layoffs in 2025. Technology talent is encountering unprecedented challenges, with major chip companies recently announcing large-scale layoff plans, potentially impacting thousands of employees in the first quarter alone.

• According to reports from a U.S. automotive and industrial chip supplier, the stock price has plummeted over 30% in the past six months, and under operational pressure, it announced plans to lay off about 2,400 people, aiming to save between $105 million and $115 million in labor costs annually.
• Another microchip technology company is also unable to escape the market downturn, with its stock price dropping 36% in a year. It will close its wafer manufacturing plant in Arizona in May, expecting to lay off up to 2,000 employees, with plans to fully implement the shutdown by the end of June.
• A semiconductor company based in the Netherlands announced plans to lay off 1,800 employees worldwide, accounting for about 5% of its total workforce, in response to weak demand for automotive and industrial chips.
• Another semiconductor company with French and Italian backgrounds plans to reduce its workforce by about 3,000 employees through early retirements and natural attrition to cope with the operational pressures brought on by declining demand.

Overall, the global semiconductor industry's downturn began in the second half of 2023, characterized by weak demand, slowing consumer spending in end markets, inflationary pressures, and geopolitical uncertainties that further deteriorated the market. Additionally, the industry is facing significant project delays. For instance, a major company has postponed its $28 billion expansion plan, resulting in disruptions to the construction and expansion plans of several wafer factories.

Market observers point out that the semiconductor industry is experiencing the most drastic adjustment since the U.S.-China trade war in 2018, shifting from a "capacity race" to a "cash flow priority" strategy. Analysts estimate that the recovery of the industry will depend on the pace of global inflation relief and the implementation progress of subsidy policies in various countries, and whether it can hit bottom and rebound in the second half of 2025 remains to be seen.