Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC source 80% of their WF6 from Japan. Two Japanese companies produce 25% of the world's tungsten hexafluoride. Both Kanto Denka and Central Glass are stopping all WF6 production on July 1. We manufacture chemicals. WF6 is a chemical. The semiconductor industry never asked what it's made from. WF6 deposits the tungsten contact plugs inside every advanced chip on Earth. There is no substitute for running production lines. Qualifying a new supplier takes 12 to 18 months. Building new capacity takes two to three years. China controls 80% of the tungsten powder WF6 is made from. Japan's tungsten imports from China have been zero since February. The two producers survived on stockpiles for five months. The stockpiles are gone. WF6 prices are up 232.7% year over year. Upstream tungsten powder is up 557%. Only six companies produce 90% of the world's supply. Two just quit. Every AI accelerator, smartphone chip, and SSD depends on a gas about to lose a quarter of its supply.
