In 2014, the semiconductor materials market grew for the first time since 2011. Last year’s growth was 3% to reach $44.3 billion.
Total wafer fabrication materials and packaging materials were $24.0 billion and $20.4 billion, respectively.
In 2013, revenues were $22.7 billion for wafer fabrication materials and $20.4 billion for packaging materials.
The wafer fabrication materials segment increased 6% year-over-year, while the packaging materials segment remained flat.
However, if bonding wire were excluded from the packaging materials segment, the segment increased more than 4% last year. The continuing transition to copper-based bonding wire from gold is negatively impacting overall packaging materials revenues.
For the fifth consecutive year, Taiwan was the largest consumer of semiconductor materials due to its large foundry and advanced packaging base, totalling $9.8 billion.
Japan was second.
Annual revenue growth was the strongest in the Taiwan market at 8% followed but the auD at 5% and China at 3%. Europe had the third highest growth at 1%.
The materials markets in Japan and Rest of World were flat relative to 2013 levels.
(The ROW region is defined as Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, other areas of Southeast Asia and smaller global markets.)
Top Spenders On Materials 2014 ($bn)
Taiwan 9.58
Japan 7.19
Korea 7.03
RoW 6.66
China. 5.83
US. 4.98
Europe. 3.08
Total. 44.35