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Worldwide silicon wafer market topped US$10.2 billion in 2006, says Gartner |
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Jul 09, 2007 at 12:46 PM |
 The worldwide silicon wafer market grew by 24 percent in revenue in 2006 and totaled $10.2 billion in revenues, according to Gartner's silicon wafer market survey, conducted by market analyst Takashi Ogawa.
The demand for 300mm wafers and an ongoing polysilicon shortage ensured wafer suppliers experienced a firm pricing environment. However, not all major suppliers benefited from the good market conditions and according to Ogawa, new business partnerships could have a significant effect on the market in coming years.
Sumco was impacted the most in 2006 with its market share falling slightly compared to 2005, but holding on to the second-place ranking with 21.3 percent share of the wafer market. It boosted 300mm production at its Imari facility in Japan but according to Ogawa lost market share in the still-important U.S. market, especially to Shin-Etsu Handotai.
Another small market share loser was Sumco Techxiv (formerly Komatsu Electronic Metals). The company remained in fifth place despite achieving 18 percent market growth. This figure was below the 24 percent market average and thus its share declined slightly.
According to Gartner, the company will find it difficult to improve its overall share because of its poor showing in the fast-growing 300mm wafer segment.
MEMC Electronic Materials is ranked fourth by Gartner, achieving 20 percent growth in 2006 due to 300mm capacity increases and its focus on the fast growing photovoltaic market. However, Ogawa is interested to see how MEMC balances the demands of these two markets in relation to capital investment.
The leading player Shin-Etsu Handotai maintained its first position with a dominant 32.2 percent share. The company saw revenues grow 24 percent in 2006 and reached US$3.2 billion. The company continued to invest in 300mm wafer capacity, and offered more high-value services, according to Gartner, that ensured the strong growth.
The key message from Ogawa was that the landscape might be entering a period of change. He cited the move by Sumco to acquire Komatsu Electronic Metals (now Sumco Techxiv); Toshiba Ceramics' gaining management independence and becoming Covalent
Materials; and Siltronic and Samsung's formation of a Joint Venture 300mm wafer operation in Singapore.
These moves are "unprecedented in the industry and suggest a future transformation of
the silicon wafer market through industrial consolidation and other external factors," noted Ogawa in Gartner's weekly newsletter to clients.
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