SAN JOSE, Calif. — February 6, 2012  — Worldwide silicon wafer revenues improved by two percent in 2011 compared to 2010 according to the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its year-end analysis of the silicon wafer industry. Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments decreased by three percent in 2011 when compared to 2010 area shipments.

Silicon wafer area shipments in 2011 totaled 9,043 million square inches (MSI), down from the 9,370 million square inches shipped during 2010. Revenues reached $9.9 billion up from $9.7 billion posted in 2010. "While the recovery from the 2009 downturn continued into early 2011,” said Kazuyo Heinink, chairwoman of SEMI SMG and vice president, MEMC. ”Silicon shipments lost momentum as global economic uncertainty increased during the second half of the year.”  

Annual Silicon* Industry Trends

*Shipments are for semiconductor applications only and do not include solar applications

Silicon wafers are the fundamental building material for semiconductors, which in turn, are vital components of virtually all electronics goods, including computers, telecommunications products, and consumer electronics. The highly engineered thin round disks are produced in various diameters (from one inch to 12 inches) and serve as the substrate material on which most semiconductor devices or "chips" are fabricated.

All data cited in this release is inclusive of polished silicon wafers, including virgin test wafers, epitaxial silicon wafers, and non-polished silicon wafers shipped by the wafer manufacturers to the end-users.

The Silicon Manufacturers Group acts as an independent special interest group within the SEMI structure and is open to SEMI members involved in manufacturing polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon or silicon wafers (e.g., as cut, polished, epi, etc.). The purpose of the group is to facilitate collective efforts on issues related to the silicon industry including the development of market information and statistics about the silicon industry and the semiconductor market.

About SEMI

SEMI is the global industry association serving the nano- and microelectronic manufacturing supply chains. SEMI member companies are the engine of the future, enabling smarter, faster and more economical products that improve our lives. Since 1970, SEMI has been committed to helping members grow more profitably, create new markets and meet common industry challenges. SEMI maintains offices in Beijing, Bengaluru, Berlin, Brussels, Grenoble, Hsinchu, Moscow, San Jose, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit  www.semi.org.

Association Contacts

Deborah Geiger/SEMI
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Dan Tracy/SEMI
Tel: 408.943.7987
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