Samsung Electro-Mechanics

About

Samsung Electro-Mechanics began as the component arm of the Samsung empire — the division that made the parts Samsung's own phones, TVs, and cars needed, without having to win any outside customer. That captive start could have kept it small. Instead, SEMCO grew into the world's second-largest maker of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), the tiny components that regulate electrical current in virtually every electronic device. The company's crown jewel is its MLCC business: it produces billions of capacitors a month, competing head-to-head with Japan's Murata, and its high-capacity MLCCs are qualified into flagship smartphones and automotive electronics. Beyond capacitors, SEMCO makes camera modules (including the folded zoom modules used in premium phones), semiconductor substrates, and electronic component packages for 5G modules. Based in Suwon, South Korea, with about 27,000 employees and annual revenue near US$7 billion, SEMCO has deliberately reduced its dependence on Samsung: over half its sales now go to outside customers, including Apple and major automakers. For electronics buyers, SEMCO is the classic 'second source' — Murata's closest rival in quality and capacity, and the main alternative when supply tightens.

Also known as: SEMCO

Frequently Asked Questions

Categories