Source to China Times, in response to increased visibility in AI server orders and optimistic future demand, two ODM-Direct based in Taiwan, Wiwynn, and Quanta, are accelerating the expansion of their server production lines in non-Chinese regions. Recently, there have been updates on their progress. Wiwynn has completed the first phase of its self-owned new factory in Malaysia, specifically for L10. As for Quanta, has further expanded its L10 production line in California, both gearing up for future AI server orders.
Wiwynn’s new server assembly factory, located in the Senai Airport City in Johor, Malaysia, was officially inaugurated on the 12th, and it will provide full cabinet assembly services for large-scale data centers. Additionally, the second phase of the front-end server motherboard production line is expected to be completed and operational next year, allowing Wiwynn to offer high-end AI servers and advanced cooling technology to cloud service providers and customers in the SEA region
While Wiwynn has experienced some slowdown in shipments and revenue due to its customers adjusting to inventory and CAPEX impacts in recent quarters, Wiwynn still chooses to continue its overseas factory expansion efforts. Notably, with the addition of the new factory in Malaysia, Wiwynn’s vision of establishing a one-stop manufacturing, service, and engineering center in the APAC region is becoming a reality.
Especially as we enter Q4, the shipment of AI servers based on NVIDIA’s AI-GPU architecture is expected to boost Wiwynn’s revenue. The market predicts that after a strong fourth quarter, this momentum will carry forward into the next year.
How significant is the demand for AI servers?
According to TrendForce projection, a dramatic surge in AI server shipments for 2023, with an estimated 1.2 million units—outfitted with GPUs, FPGAs, and ASICs—destined for markets around the world, marking a robust YoY growth of 38.4%. This increase resonates with the mounting demand for AI servers and chips, resulting in AI servers poised to constitute nearly 9% of the total server shipments, a figure projected to increase to 15% by 2026. TrendForce has revised its CAGR forecast for AI server shipments between 2022 and 2026 upwards to an ambitious 29%.
Quanta has also been rapidly expanding its production capacity in North America and Southeast Asia in recent years. This year, in addition to establishing new facilities in Vietnam, they have recently expanded their production capacity at their California-based Fremont plant.
The Fremont plant in California has been Quanta’s primary location for the L10 production line in the United States. In recent years, it has expanded several times. With the increasing demand for data center construction by Tier 1 CSP, Quanta’s Tennessee plant has also received multiple investments to prepare for operational needs and capacity expansion.
In August of this year, Quanta initially injected $135 million USD into its California subsidiary, which then leased a nearly 4,500 square-meter site in the Bay Area. Recently, Quanta announced a $79.6 million USD contract awarded to McLarney Construction, Inc. for three construction projects within their new factory locations.
It is expected that Quanta’s new production capacity will gradually come online, with the earliest capacity expected in 2H24, and full-scale production scheduled for 1H25. With the release of new high-end AI servers featuring the H100 architecture, Quanta has been shipping these products since August and September, contributing to its revenue growth. They aim to achieve a 20% YoY increase in server sales for 2023, with the potential for further significant growth in 2024.