Global Silicon Wafer Shipments Up 2.4% This Year
After rising 5% in '21, it is projected to reach an all-time high in '22.


As the contactless digital economy accelerates due to COVID-19 and demand for semiconductors increases, silicon wafer shipments have shifted from a downward trend to a growth trend, and this trend is expected to continue for some time.

On the 14th, the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) projected that global silicon wafer shipments in 2020 would increase by approximately 2.4% compared to the previous year. It also announced that after rising by 5% in 2021, shipments would reach an all-time high in 2022.

Clark Tseng, Director of Market Research at SEMI, stated, “Despite geopolitical conflicts, the changing global semiconductor supply chain environment, and volatility caused by COVID-19, silicon wafer shipments are recovering this year,” adding, “As COVID-19 is actually accelerating digitalization worldwide, continuous growth is expected over the next two years.”

Silicon wafers are a core material for semiconductor manufacturing and are an essential component of virtually all electronic products. Precision-machined silicon discs are produced in various diameters ranging from 1 inch to 12 inches and are used as semiconductor circuit board materials to produce most semiconductor chips.

Based on SEMI’s ‘Worldwide Silicon Wafer Shipment Statistics’ data, this announcement includes virgin test wafers and epitaxial silicon wafers, as well as polished silicon wafers, but excludes non-polished wafers and recycled wafers.