SEMI, Milpitas, Calif., in its Year-End Total Equipment Forecast, predicts that global semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales will drop by 10.5 percent to $57.6 billion in 2019 from 2018, but will recover in 2020 and set a new high in 2021.
The forecast shows equipment sales registering a 5.5 percent increase to $60.8 billion in 2020 and continued expansion into 2021, with record revenues of $66.8 billion as leading device manufactures invest in sub-10nm equipment, especially for foundry and logic.
The SEMI year-end forecast shows sales of wafer fab equipment – consisting of wafer processing, fab facility and mask/reticle equipment – falling 9 percent in 2019 to $49.9 billion. The assembly and packaging equipment segment is on track to decline 26.1 percent to $2.9 billion in 2019, while semiconductor test equipment is forecast to drop 14.0 percent to $4.8 billion this year.
SEMI expects the 2020 equipment market recovery to be fueled by advanced logic and foundry, new projects in China, and memory to a lesser extent. In Europe, equipment sales will surge 45.9 percent to $3.3 billion. Taiwan is forecast to remain the top equipment market next year on the strength of $15.4 billion in sales, with China second at $14.9 billion and Korea third at $10.3 billion. More upside is likely if the macroeconomy improves and trade tensions subside in 2020.
The Year-End Total Equipment Forecast is based on SEMI’s industry-recognized World Fab Forecast database and input from equipment manufacturers. Total equipment includes wafer processing, fab facilities, mask/reticle, total test, and assembly and packaging equipment.
