Thursday, October 7, 2010

Wafer shipments forecast to increase 39% in 2010, says US-based SEMI

KUALA LUMPUR:'' Total wafer shipments are forecast to increase 39% in 2010 to 9.14 billion sq inches from a year ago, according to the Semiconductor Equipment Manufacturers Industry (SEMI) in its annual silicon shipment forecast for the semiconductor industry.

In a statement on its website on Wednesday, Oct 6 SEMI said the forecast provides an outlook for the demand in silicon units for the period of 2010 to 2012.

Silicon wafers are the fundamental building material for semiconductors, which in'' turn, are vital components of virtually all electronics goods, including computers, telecommunications products, and consumer electronics.

The highly engineered thin round disks are produced in various diameters (from one'' inch to 12 inches) and serve as the substrate material on which more than 95% of today's semiconductor devices or "chips" are fabricated.

SEMI said the results showed polished silicon shipments totaling 9.14 billion square inches in 2010; 9.7 billion square inches in 2011 and 10.17 billion square inches in 2012.

Total wafer shipments are expected to surpass the high set in 2007 and continue to increase for the next two years, said SEMI.

SEMI president and CEO Stanley T. Myers said silicon shipments reflected the tremendous recovery experienced by the semiconductor industry this year.

'While current data suggest that growth rates are moderating, we expect that industry will continue to be positive for the next two years,' he said.

SEMI is the global industry association serving the manufacturing supply chains for the microelectronic, display and photovoltaic industries.


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