Semiconductor equipment sales to reach US$41.7 billion in 2007
The forecast indicates that, following 23% market growth in 2006, the equipment market will grow 3% in 2007. Survey respondents expect the market to decline about 2% in 2008, and then post growth in the high single digits in 2009 and 2010 to reach US$47.99 billion in 2010.
"Sales of semiconductor manufacturing, testing, assembly and packaging equipment are at levels slightly above last year, and will result in 2007 being the industry's second strongest year on record," said Stanley T. Myers, president and CEO of SEMI. "SEMI members have continued to generate strong overall sales of chip manufacturing equipment, and expect to see a US$48 billion market by 2010."
Wafer processing equipment, the largest product segment by dollar value, is expected to grow over 6% in 2007 to US$30.61 billion. Survey respondents anticipate that the market for assembly and packaging equipment will expand by almost 11% to US$2.72 billion in 2007. The market for equipment to test semiconductors is expected to decline by about 15% to US$5.47 billion this year. The Japanese market is projected to decline by about 3%, and moves behind Taiwan this year for only the second time ever.
South Korea continues its expansion in 2007, with projected growth of about five percent. Sales of new equipment in China will grow almost 24%, while the rest-of-world market regions will decline by about 12%.The SEMI year-end Consensus Forecast is based on interviews conducted between late October and November 2007 with companies representing a majority of the total sales volume for the global semiconductor equipment industry.
