Silicon wafer revenues decline in 2012

USA: Worldwide silicon wafer revenues declined by 12  percent in 2012 compared to 2011 according to the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its year-end analysis of the silicon wafer industry. Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments declined 0.1 percent in 2012 when compared to 2011 area shipments.

Silicon wafer area shipments in 2012 totaled 9,031 million square inches (MSI), down from the 9,043 million square inches shipped during 2011. Revenues totaled $8.7 billion down from $9.9 billion posted in 2011.

"Much like semiconductor unit shipments, semiconductor silicon shipments started out the year strong, however shipments weakened during the second half of the year,” said Byungseop (Brad) Hong, chairman of SEMI SMG and director of Global Marketing at LG Siltron. ”Despite challenges in the market, 300 mm volume shipments reached record levels.”

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.