Taiwan will remain among the world’s leading semiconductor markets this year in terms of equipment and material spending, a global industry association said Tuesday.
The Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) has forecast stable growth in the global integrated circuit (IC) industry, where equipment spending is predicted to grow 2.6 percent to US$42.4 billion this year and to US$46.7 billion next year.
Material consumption in 2011 totaled US$47.9 billion and the figure is set to rise to US$49.2 billion this year, according to the association.
Over the past few years, Taiwan’s foundry operators have spent more on equipment and materials than vendors anywhere else in the world, establishing the island as the world’s most important IC market, said Clark Tseng, a senior manager of SEMI Taiwan.
“The global equipment and materials markets were robust in 2011 and 2012,” he told a pre-show press conference prior to SEMICON Taiwan, a global semiconductor trade show slated for Sept. 5-7 in Taipei.
“Taiwan meanwhile is expected to spend over US$9 billion on equipment in both 2012 and 2013, underscoring the island’s leadership status in the global IC market,” the Hsinchu-based analyst said. Read More