The power discrete & module market is set to regain much of its previous years' losses and will be worth $13.7 billion in 2010, increasing by 24.3% from 2009 according to IMS Research's latest report on the market. The strength and speed of the power semiconductor market's recovery has surprised many in the industry, following the market's decline of 21.5% in 2009.
IMS Research's recently released report "The World Market for Power Semiconductor Discretes & Modules" forecasts discrete power semiconductors will account for almost four-fifths of the total market in 2010. Discrete IGBTs, power MOSFETs and power rectifiers are predicted to register the highest growth rates in 2010; however, growth levels could have been higher but limited available production capacity has resulted in the majority of power semiconductor suppliers supplying "on customer allocation" only and shipping less than real demand would suggest.
Ash Sharma, Power & Energy Research Director commented "Major demand for power discretes returned in 2010, particularly from the consumer and computing sectors as demand for products such as notebooks and LCD TVs returning robustly, at least in the first half of the year." "Although a healthy return of demand has been seen so far in 2010 and encouraging outlook for 2011 and onwards is predicted, the market still remains vulnerable to further dips, and inventory re-stocking and double-ordering corrections may take place in late 2010." Sharma added.
The power module market, which fell by 22% in 2009, is predicted to grow almost 30% in 2010 with standard IGBT modules and IPMs accounting for the lion's share of the expansion. IMS Research projects that three key applications will drive most demand for power modules over the next five years: industrial motor drives, renewable energy inverters and hybrid and electric vehicles. It is predicted these three sectors will account for 70% of power module revenues by 2014.
