Global Silicon Wafer Shipments on Track for 2020 Recovery and 2022 Record High

Estimated reading time: Less than a minute

Global silicon wafer shipments are set to increase 2.4% year-over-year in 2020, with growth continuing in 2021 and shipments reaching a record high in 2022, SEMI reported today in its annual silicon shipment forecast for the semiconductor industry. 

“Silicon wafer shipments are recovering this year despite pressure from geopolitical tensions, the shifting global semiconductor supply chain and the COVID-19 pandemic," said Clark Tseng, director of Industry Research and Statistics at SEMI. “With the pandemic accelerating digitization to transform businesses and their delivery of services worldwide, we expect continued growth over the next two years.”

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 most semiconductor devices or chips are fabricated.

All data cited in this release includes polished silicon wafers such as virgin test wafers and epitaxial silicon wafers shipped by the wafer manufacturers to the end-users but not non-polished or reclaimed wafers.