Silicon Wafer Shipments Achieve New Heights

摘要

Global silicon wafer area shipments increased 11 percent year-on-year in 2014, said the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its year-end analysis of the silicon wafer industry. However, worldwide silicon revenues increased only 1 percent compared to 2013. Silicon wafer area shipments in 2014 totaled 10,098 million square inches, up from the 9,067 million square inches shipped in 2013. The previous market high for silicon area shipments was 9,370 million square inches in 2010. Revenues totaled US$7.6 billion, slightly up from US$7.5 billion posted in 2013, yet 2014 silicon revenues remain 37 percent below their peak set in 2007. "After three consecutive flat years, annual semiconductor silicon shipment levels achieved respectable growth last year to reach a market high," said Hisashi Katahama, Chairman, SEMI SMG and Director, Technology of SUMCO Corporation. "However, industry revenues did not experience the same magnitude of recovery."