SEMI reports 2015 semiconductor equipment sales of US$36.5 billion

By Jessie Shen, DIGITIMES, Mar. 15, 2016 – 

SEMI has reported that worldwide sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment totaled US$36.53 billion in 2015, representing an on-year decrease of 3%. Total equipment bookings for 2015 were 5% lower than in 2014, said SEMI.

Compiled from data submitted by members of SEMI and the Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan (SEAJ), the worldwide semiconductor equipment market statistics (WWSEMS) report is a summary of the monthly billings and bookings figures for the global semiconductor equipment industry. The report includes data for seven major semiconductor producing regions and 24 product categories.

SEMI indicated the WWSEMS report shows worldwide billings totaled US$36.53 billion in 2015, compared to US$37.50 billion in sales posted for the year. Categories cover wafer processing, assembly and packaging, test, and other front-end equipment. Other front-end includes mask/reticle manufacturing, wafer manufacturing, and fab facilities equipment.

Spending rates increased for Taiwan, Korea, Japan and China, while the new equipment markets in North America, Rest of World, and Europe contracted, SEMI noted. Taiwan remained the largest market for new semiconductor equipment for the fourth year in a row with US$9.64 billion in equipment sales. The expanding markets in South Korea and Japan surpassed the North American market, to claim the second and third largest markets, respectively, while North America fell to fourth place at US$5.12 billion. The China market remained larger than the Rest of World and European markets.

The global other front-end segment increased 16% in 2015, while the wafer processing equipment market segment decreased 2%, SEMI said. Meanwhile, total test equipment sales fell 6% while the assembly and packaging segment declined 18%

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