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SEMI equipment sales consensus forecast expects growth through 2009 |
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Dec 05, 2006 at 02:40 PM |
 In the year-end SEMI Capital Equipment Consensus Forecast, trade association members are expecting sales to reach $40.64 billion in 2006. This equates to a 24 percent growth rate in 2006 compared to the 12 percent decline experienced in 2005.
As expected, growth for 2007 is expected but with only a 3.7 percent improvement over 2006. Wafer fab equipment (see chart) will be slightly up on the overall growth rate projected in the consensus, which was put at 4 percent for 2007 over 2006. This compares to 26 percent growth in 2006 or $28.84 billion in wafer fab equipment sales compared to 2005.
In 2008, growth is expected to return to double-digit levels (13.3 percent) and back to single digits in 2009. However, with no actual negative growth years being projected in this timeframe, overall equipment sales are expected to reach $50.42 billion in 2009.
"For most of the past year, our industry has experienced a significant increase in demand for semiconductor devices, as well as strong economic conditions," said SEMI President and CEO Stanley T. Myers. "SEMI members have experienced strong overall sales of chip manufacturing equipment in 2006, and anticipate a 50 billion dollar market within the next three years."
As has been noted in other recent reports, Japan has become the largest single purchaser of fab equipment and should grow purchases by 11 percent in 2006, according to SEMI. Japan is also projected to remain a strong investor in new fab equipment through 2009, reaching over $11 billion in purchases compared with $9.1 billion in 2006.
South Korea continues its expansion in 2006, with projected growth of 20 percent. Sales of new equipment in China will grow by 80 percent in 2006, though coming from a very low value and slowing growth in 2007. China is expected to come back strong with 22 percent growth in 2008, compared with the growth of 2007.
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