Total Wafer Shipments to Drop 6 Percent in 2019, Resume Growth in 2020, Set New High in 2022, SEMI Reports

MILPITAS, Calif. ─ September 30, 2019 ─ Total wafer shipments in 2019 are expected to decline 6 percent from last year’s historic high, with growth resuming in 2020 and shipments reaching a new high in 2022, according to SEMI’s annual semiconductor industry silicon shipment forecast.

Forecast demand for silicon units through 2022 shows polished and epitaxial silicon shipments totaling 11,757 million square inches in 2019, 11,977 million square inches in 2020, 12,390 million square inches in 2021, and 12,785 million square inches in 2022 (see table below).

“Silicon shipment volumes are expected to decline this year as the industry works through accumulated inventory and weaker demand,” said Clark Tseng, director of Industry Research and Statistics at SEMI. “The industry is expected to stabilize in 2020 and regain growth momentum in 2021 and 2022.”

2019 Silicon* Shipment Forecast (MSI = Millions of Square Inches)

*Total Electronic Grade Silicon Slices – Excludes Non-Polished Wafers
*Shipments are for semiconductor applications only and do not include solar applications.
Source: SEMI (www.semi.org), September 2019

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 and epitaxial silicon wafers shipped by the wafer manufacturers to the end-users. Data do not include non-polished or reclaimed wafers.

More information on the SEMI Worldwide Silicon Wafer Shipment Statistics is available here.

About SEMI

SEMI® connects more than 2,100 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics design and manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA) and the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) are SEMI Strategic Association Partners, defined communities within SEMI focused on specific technologies. Visit www.semi.org to learn more