SAN JOSE, Calif. — August 11, 2014 — Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments increased during the second quarter 2014 when compared to first quarter 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 2,587 million square inches during the most recent quarter, a 9.5 percent increase from the 2,363 million square inches shipped during the previous quarter. New quarterly total area shipments are 8.2 percent higher than second quarter 2013 shipments.

"For two consecutive quarters, strong silicon shipment growth has been recorded by the Silicon Manufacturers Group,” said Hiroshi Sumiya, chairman of SEMI SMG and general manager of the Corporate Planning Department of Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd. “Silicon wafer shipments reached an all-time high in the second quarter, surpassing the previous peak of 2,489 million square inches shipped in the third quarter of 2010.”

Quarterly Silicon Area Shipment Trends

Semiconductor Silicon Shipments* - Millions of Square Inches; Source: SEMI, 2014

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 microelectronics manufacturing supply chains.  Our 1,900 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 Bangalore, Beijing, Berlin, Brussels, Grenoble, Hsinchu, Moscow, San Jose, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C.  For more information, visit  www.semi.org.


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