North American semiconductor equipment industry posts Jan. 2011 book-to-bill ratio of 0.85

SAN JOSE, USA: North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $1.54 billion in orders in January 2011 (three-month average basis) and a book-to-bill ratio of 0.85, according to the January Book-to-Bill Report published by SEMI. A book-to-bill of 0.85 means that $85 worth of orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month.

The three-month average of worldwide bookings in January 2011 was $1.54 billion. The bookings figure is 2.9 percent less than the final December 2010 level of $1.58 billion, and is 30.3 percent above the $1.18 billion in orders posted in January 2010.

The three-month average of worldwide billings in January 2011 was $1.80 billion. The billings figure is 2.5 percent more than the final December 2010 level of $1.76 billion, and is 88 percent more than the January 2010 billings level of $957.6 million.

“Orders declined slightly in the January book-to-bill report, although they remain well above January 2010 orders,” said Stanley T. Myers, president and CEO of SEMI. “Industry spending remains solid at the start of the year and we are encouraged by the strength in capital expenditure plans announced over the past month.”Source: SEMI, USA.