Flash memory price increases due to shortage in production

In the last few weeks there have been massive increases in the cost of flash memory.

This continues to affect the prices of USB's on a global scale.  It has largely affected small chip products in the 1GB and 2GB range but is across the board to some extent.

The increase in prices is due to large purchases of flash memory by consumer companies (typically new phone and tablet production). This has resulted in a shortage of smaller capacity chips which is forecast to continue for sometime.

Quotes for the forseeable future will be on a weekly basis until the supply issues are resolved.

Price increase likely for flash memory and USB Drives

Tight supply of NAND flash may remain until early 2013,

This means that currently ProCopy quotes will be valid for immediate purchases only

Josephine Lien, Taipei; Jessie Shen, DIGITIMES [Tuesday 16 October 2012]

The global supply of NAND flash memory has been tight, boosting prices for the chips recently, according to industry sources. The tight supply is likely to persist until early 2013, as demand will strengthen arising ahead of year-end holidays as well as the Lunar New year, the sources said.

Supply in the spot market is tighter as major NAND-chip suppliers including Samsung Electronics, Toshiba, SanDisk, Micron Technology and SK Hynix intend to focus on orders placed by their system clients, the sources indicated. The five leading NAND flash companies have been enjoying brisk demand coming from the smartphone and tablet sectors, the sources said.  Suppliers to Apple, for instance, have provided a very limited amount to their other customers particularly those without long-term contracts, the sources noted. Toshiba, Hynix and SanDisk reportedly supply NAND flash chips for the recently-launched iPhone 5.

Due to insufficient supplies from chipmakers, distributors and module makers have quoted their NAND flash products at higher prices, the sources pointed out.  In other news, major memory module companies specializing in flash related products have reported impressive sales results for September. The firms are expected to post sales growth through November thanks to favorable chip prices, according to the sources.

For more information on our range of USB Drives click here:

Original source: http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20121016PD200.html

Ipad and other innovations affect Flash Memory Pricing

We receive updated pricing on a weekly basis for our custom branded USB flash drives and many clients wonder why the pricing varies so often.

Simply put, demand for flash memory varies all the time - prime reasons are innovations such as the Ipad, IPOD and other memory intensive devices.

So when Apple decides to bring out a new product or new model or when sales increase due to holidays or Christmas production schedules, then the demand placed on the memory manufacturers (primarily in China) increases dramatically and this affects the market price and availability.

As flash memory production increases at the factories, or demand wanes then the price and availability returns to normal, (given that there is always a general trend to lower prices and increased capacity).

Like OIL that can vary in price by the hour, the price cycle for USBs and custom molded flash drives can now vary many times on a weekly basis and hence we will always quote the current market pricing for USB Thumb drives.

View our new range of molded flash drives here:

We can always be contacted on 1300 4 PROCOPY if you have a custom shaped USB drive in mind for a promotion, educational programme or exhibition, conference or tradeshow giveaway and as with our CD and DVD production we supply Australia-wide.