SEMI today reported that worldwide sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment totaled $36.53 billion in 2015, representing a year-over-year decrease of 3 percent. 2015 total equipment bookings were 5 percent lower than in 2014.
SEMI WWSEMS report shows worldwide billings totaled $36.53 billion in 2015, compared to $37.50 billion in sales posted in 2014. Categories cover wafer processing, assembly and packaging, test, and other front-end equipment. Other front-end includes mask/reticle manufacturing, wafer manufacturing, and fab facilities equipment.
Spending rates increased for Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and China, while the new equipment markets in North America, Rest of World, and Europe contracted. Taiwan remained the largest market for new semiconductor equipment for the fourth year in a row with $9.64 billion in equipment sales. The expanding markets in South Korea and Japan surpassed the North American market, to claim the second and third largest markets, respectively, while North America fell to fourth place at $5.12 billion. The China market remained larger than the Rest of World and European markets.
The global other front end segment increased 16 percent; the wafer processing equipment market segment decreased 2 percent; total test equipment sales decreased 6 percent; and the assembly and packaging segment decreased 18 percent.
