Milpitas, Calif., Feb. 06, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments in 2017 increased by 10 percent against 2016 shipments, while worldwide silicon revenues rose by 21 percent over 2016 levels, reported the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its year-end analysis of the silicon wafer industry.

Silicon wafer area shipments in 2017 totaled 11,810 million square inches (MSI), up from the previous market high of 10,738 million square inches shipped during 2016. Revenues totaled $8.71 billion, 21 percent higher from the $7.21 billion posted in 2016.

"Annual semiconductor silicon volume shipments reached record levels for the fourth year in a row,” said Neil Weaver, chairman of SEMI SMG, and Director, Product Development and Applications Engineering, at Shin-Etsu Handotai America. "Annual silicon revenue also increased last year but remains well below the market high set 10 years ago."

Annual Silicon* Industry Trends

*Total Electronic Grade Silicon Slices Excluding Non-Polished Wafers. Shipments are for semiconductor applications only and do not include solar applications.

Source: SEMI (www.semi.org), February 2018

All data cited in this release includes polished silicon wafers, such as virgin test wafers and epitaxial silicon wafers, as well as non-polished silicon wafers shipped to end users.

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.

SMG, an independent special interest group within the SEMI structure, is open to SEMI members involved in manufacturing polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon or silicon wafers (e.g., as cut, polished, epi, etc.). The group facilitates collective efforts on issues related to the silicon industry including the development of market information and statistics about the silicon industry and the semiconductor market.

For more information on the SEMI Worldwide Silicon Wafer Shipment Statistics, visit  www.semi.org/en/MarketInfo/SiliconShipmentStatistics.

About SEMI

SEMI® connects over 2,000 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA) and the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) are SEMI Strategic Association Partners, defined communities within SEMI focused on specific technologies. Since 1970, SEMI has built connections that have helped its members prosper, create new markets, and address common industry challenges together. SEMI maintains offices in Bangalore, Berlin, Brussels, Grenoble, Hsinchu, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley (Milpitas, Calif.), Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C.  For more information, visit  www.semi.org and follow SEMI on  LinkedIn and  Twitter.

Association Contacts

Michael Hall/SEMI
Phone: 1.408.943.7988
Email:  mhall@semi.org

Dan Tracy/SEMI
Phone: 1.408.943.7987
Email:  dtracy@semi.org

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