Applied Materials Inc. was informed by US officials that it won’t be receiving Chips Act money for a long-anticipated research and development center, dealing a critical blow to a much-touted project in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Chang Wah Electromaterials (CWE), a Taiwanese supplier of semiconductor and electronics materials and equipment, is transitioning from 12-inch wafer-level packaging to panel-level fan-out packaging (FOPLP), anticipating promising prospects despite current yield rate challenges.

The US presidential election has injected fresh uncertainty into global supply chains. Taiwan broadband communication equipment maker Sercomm’s chairman James Wang warns that companies must diversify their manufacturing footprint to mitigate risks, a costly strategy that increases inventory and lowers factory utilization.