Decrease in Third Quarter 2012 Silicon Wafer Shipments

SAN JOSE, Calif. —  November 19, 2012 — Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments decreased during the third quarter 2012 when compared to second quarter 2012 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 2,389 million square inches during the most recent quarter, a 2 percent decrease from the 2,447 million square inches shipped during the previous quarter. New quarterly total area shipments are 1 percent greater than third quarter 2011 shipments.

"The positive shipment volume growth experienced during the second quarter did not continue into the third quarter as wafer demand declined,” said Dr. Bruce Kellerman, chairman of SEMI SMG and senior director of Semiconductor Product Marketing at MEMC. “Ongoing market uncertainties continue to hinder a full recovery as the semiconductor industry encounters slower conditions than anticipated earlier in the year.”

Quarterly Silicon Area Shipment Trends

Semiconductor Silicon Shipments* - Millions of Square Inches

*Shipments are for semiconductor applications only and do not include solar applications

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 2,000 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 Beijing, Bengaluru, Berlin, Brussels, Grenoble, Hsinchu, Moscow, San Jose, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C.  For more information on SEMI, visit www.semi.org.