Global Semiconductor Materials Sales Hit New High of $51.9 Billion

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The global semiconductor materials market grew 10.6% in 2018, propelling semiconductor materials revenue to $51.9 billion to eclipse the previous high of $47.1 billion set in 2011, according to the SEMI Materials Market Data Subscription announced by SEMI, the industry association representing the global electronics product design and manufacturing supply chain.

The standing record for semiconductor materials revenue fell as the chip market's record revenue of $412.2 billion in 2017 also gave way to an all-time high – $468.8 billion – last year, according to World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS).

Wafer fabrication materials and packaging materials revenues totaled $32.2 billion and $19.7* billion, respectively, in 2018, for year-over-year increases of 15.9% and 3.0% for the two segments.

For the ninth consecutive year, Taiwan, at $11.4 billion, was the largest consumer of semiconductor materials on the strength of its large foundry and advanced packaging base. Korea rose in the rankings to claim the second spot while China fell to third last year. The materials markets in South Korea, Europe, Taiwan, and China saw the strongest revenue growth, while the North America, Rest of World (ROW) and Japan markets experienced single-digit growth. (The ROW region is defined as Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, other areas of Southeast Asia and smaller global markets.)

The Materials Market Data Subscription (MMDS) from SEMI provides annual revenue data along with seven years of historical data and a two-year forecast. The annual subscription includes four quarterly updates for the materials segment reports revenue for seven market regions (North America, Europe, ROW, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and China). The report also features detailed historical data for silicon shipments and revenues for photoresist, photoresist ancillaries, process gases and lead frames.

About SEMI

SEMI connects more than 2,260 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA) and the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) are SEMI Strategic Association Partners, defined communities within SEMI focused on specific technologies.