Up 7.9% compared to the same period last year

According to a quarterly analysis of the silicon wafer industry by the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG), global silicon wafer area shipments reached a record high of 3.084 billion square inches in the first quarter of 2018, up 3.6% from 2.977 billion square inches in the fourth quarter of 2017 and 7.9% from the first quarter of 2017.

Neil Weaver, Chairman of SEMI SMG and Director of Product Development and Application Engineering at Shin-Etsu Handotai America, stated, “Global silicon wafer shipments have started 2018 at record levels.” He added, “Silicon shipments will be high this year.”

Silicon wafers are the fundamental material for semiconductors and are a core component of almost all electronic devices, including computers, telecommunications products, and consumer electronics. Thin film circular discs, which require advanced technology, are produced in various sizes (currently 1 inch to 12 inches) and are used as substrate materials for most semiconductor devices and chip manufacturing.

All data mentioned herein includes polished silicon wafers, including virgin test wafers and epitaxial silicon wafers shipped by wafer manufacturers to end users, as well as non-polished silicon wafers.

The Silicon Manufacturers Group operates as an independent special interest group within the SEMI framework and is open to SEMI members involved in the production of polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, or silicon wafers (e.g., as-cut wafers, polished wafers, epi wafers, etc.). The purpose of this group is to promote collective efforts regarding matters related to the silicon industry, including the development of market information and statistics on the silicon industry and the semiconductor market.