Increase seen in Q1 2014 silicon wafer shipments
May 20, 2014. Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments increased during the first quarter 2014 when compared to fourth quarter 2013 area shipments according to the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its quarterly analysis of the silicon wafer industry.
Total silicon wafer area shipments were 2,364 million square inches during the most recent quarter, a 7.1% increase from the 2,208 million square inches shipped during the previous quarter. New quarterly total area shipments are 11.1% higher than first quarter 2013 shipments.
“Total silicon shipment volumes registered first quarter growth, with volumes also up relative to the same quarter last year,” said Hiroshi Sumiya, chairman of SEMI SMG and general manager of the Corporate Planning Department of Shin-Etsu Handotai Co. Ltd. “This growth at the start of the year is in-line with other semiconductor industry data showing improved conditions compared to the start of 2013.”
All data cited in this release is inclusive of polished silicon wafers, including virgin test wafers, epitaxial silicon wafers, and nonpolished 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 (for example, as cut, polished, or epitaxial). 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.