JAN. 2–SAN JOSE, Calif.–Citing poor market conditions and industry feedback, Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) will postpone Semicon Southwest 2003 with hopes of a relaunch in 2004.

“We hope this causes no hardship on members [who] had included Semicon Southwest in their 2003 marketing plans,” Victoria Hadfield, president of SEMI North America, wrote in a letter dated Dec. 11.

The plan, she adds, is to relaunch the show in early 2004 to stretch out the time between the mid-July Semicon West and the southwest show, which is usually held in October. Doing so, Hadfield says, will “eliminate one of the concerns many exhibitors have expressed about Semicon Southwest.”

SEMI, she says, will also work to strengthen “ancillary activities,” including technical and business programs.

“We did a lot of interviews with attendees,” says Michael Droeger, manager of communications. “[Attendees] still value a show in that region, but their feedback has forced us to look at how we craft our shows.”