San Jose, California: Global silicon wafer area shipments decreased by 18% in 2009 when compared to 2008 area shipments, says the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its year-end analysis of the silicon wafer industry. Revenues also declined by 41% in 2009 compared to 2008.
Silicon wafer area shipments in 2009 totalled 6,707 million square inches (MSI), down from the 8,137 million square inches shipped during 2008. Revenues fell to $6.7 billion from $11.4 billion posted in 2008.
"This past year was clearly a difficult time for the industry,” commented Takashi Yamada, chairman of SEMI SMG and General Manager SUMCO. ”We are encouraged by the increase in silicon shipments over the past three quarters.”
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.