There were no surprises in the release of figures for the semiconductor industry by the SIA regarding 2010. Global IC sales hit a new record of US$298.3 billion, a 31.8% increase over 2009, when sales reached US$226.3 billion. Worldwide semiconductor sales in December, 2010 amounted to US$25.2 billion, a 3% decline from November and in line with historical seasonality, according to the SIA. Being conservative, the SIA expects only ‘moderate single digit growth’ for the industry in 2011.
“Semiconductor sales are a bright spot in our current economic picture, delivering a record high in the billions. The year-over-year growth is due in part to the increased use of semiconductor technology in a wider range of electronic devices that we have come to enjoy in modern life,” said Brian Toohey, president, Semiconductor Industry Association. “Our member companies continue to ramp up their operations to meet the growing demand for semiconductor innovation.”
All key semiconductor product categories showed double-digit growth year-over-year, SIA noted with the Asia Pacific region representing 54% of the total worldwide semiconductor market.
The moderate growth expected this year was said to be due to the continued impact of the economic downturn.