China Surges Past Americas and Japan in IC Capacity
Back in 2012, China ranked fifth among seven regions worldwide in IC wafer capacity but surged past the Americas and Japan in 2018 and 2019 to claim the number three position (figure 1). That’s a big deal given that ICs account for the largest share...
Despite Uncertainty, Long-Term Semiconductor Market Outlook Remains Bright
This year, SEMI ISS covered it all – from a high-level semiconductor market and global geopolitical overview down to the neuro morphic and quantum level. Here are key takeaways from the Day 1 keynote and Economic Trends and Market Perspectives...
Part 1 of 2: The End of the Memory Growth Rally? Where Are We in the Memory Inventory Cycle?
Micron, one of the top three memory semiconductor companies, reported solid results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 (June to August) to extend a multi-quarter string of strong growth. However, the company’s mediocre guidance for the current...
200mm Fabs Add 600,000 Wafers Per Month – Is There an End in Sight?
Tracking toward even stronger growth than forecast last year, 200mm fabs worldwide are gearing up to add more than 600,000 wafers per month from 2017 through 2022, an 11 percent growth rate that will lead to a new high of 6 million wafers per month...
2018 and 2019 Global Electronic Supply Chain Forecasts, Plus a Leading Indicator Worth Watching
Forecast Summaries
Charts 1 and 2 are the recent world growth forecasts for this year and next for GDP (World Bank), Electronic Equipment and Printed Wiring Boards (Custer Consulting Group), Semiconductors (SIA/WSTSI and new Semiconductor Capital...
Data Storage and Automotive Continue to Drive Fab Investment into 2019
Device manufacturers continue to invest. Spending in cloud data center (compute, networking and storage), automotive (content per car increases), industrial (on content, factory automation, and positive macro trends), and consumer (gaming)...