Date: 15/11/2010

SEMI estimates total silicon wafer area shipments grew by 5% q-o-q in 3Q 10

Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments increased during the third quarter 2010 when compared to second quarter 2010 area shipments according to the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its quarterly analysis of the silicon wafer industry.

Total silicon wafer area shipments were 2,489 million square inches during the most recent quarter, a 5 percent increase from the 2,365 million square inches shipped during the previous quarter. New quarterly total area shipments are 26 percent greater than third quarter 2009 shipments and are at their highest levels ever.

"Silicon shipments continued to experience growth during the most recent quarter," said Takashi Yamada, chairman of SEMI SMG and general manager of SUMCO. "With the recovery in the semiconductor market, annual wafer shipments will reach a new high in 2010."