IC manufacturing kit expands globally

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Mar 20, 2007

SEMI reports that worldwide sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment totalled US $40.47 billion in 2006, representing a year-over-year increase of 23%.

SEMI reports that worldwide sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment totalled US $40.47 billion in 2006, representing a year-over-year increase of 23%.

The data are available in the "Worldwide semiconductor equipment market statistics (SEMS) report", now available from SEMI.

Compiled from data submitted by members of SEMI and the Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan (SEAJ), the "Worldwide SEMS report" is a summary of the monthly billings and bookings figures for the global semiconductor equipment industry.

The report, which includes data for seven major semiconductor producing regions and 22 product categories, shows worldwide billings totalled $40.47 billion in 2006, compared with $32.88 billion in sales posted in 2005.

"The worldwide semiconductor equipment industry resumed strong growth in 2006 as the robust memory chip market and continued transition to 300mm wafers fueled sales of manufacturing technology", said Stanley T Myers, President and CEO of SEMI.

"With double-digit gains in all market regions, the equipment industry posted annual sales second only to the extraordinary levels in 2000".

For the third year in a row, the Japan market region spent the most on semiconductor equipment, growing almost 13% over 2005 to reach US $9.20 billion.

N America reclaimed the number two spot with $7.32 in equipment sales.

Following closely behind N America were the regions of Taiwan and S Korea with spending of $7.31 billion and $7.01 billion, respectively.

After experiencing negative growth in 2005, the China market region grew the most in 2006, rising over 74% to US $2.3 billion.

The Rest of World region, which aggregates Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, other areas of Southeast Asia and smaller global markets, increased almost 30%.

The equipment market in Europe increased 10% in 2006.

The global wafer processing equipment market segment increased 26%; the assembly and packaging segment grew 14%, the total test equipment sales increased 21%.