Decrease in Q3 2012 silicon wafer shipments

USA: 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.”