(September 10, 2010) — Speaking at the MEPTEC Forecast Luncheon (Santa Clara, CA 9/8/10), Gartner VP of semiconductor manufacturing research, Jim Walker, noted that equipment spending is mostly on technology, foundry and memory. And for the first time, 2 SATS companies (ASE and SPIL) joined the top 20 capital spenders in 2010. He also predicts solid growth for advanced packaging tooling with memory ATE and copper wire bonders being the top performers. Walker told attendees that the conversion to copper wire from gold is a wise move for the industry — with even some high-end packaging joining the conversion.
Overall, Gartner sees a 31.5% semiconductor growth in 2010, with PCs, cell phones, and LEDs being the key drivers. (Also listen to an interview with Bob Johnson, Gartner, here)
Hear additional comments on the forecast and the overall economic outlook in the podcast interview with Walker, including his thoughts on how the memory cycle will impact capex.