Fab equipment capex up three years running – SEMI

Fab equipment spending is forecast to depart from the typical historic trend over the past 15 years of two years of spending growth followed by one of decline, says SEMI, for the first time equipment spending could grow every year for three years in a row: 2014, 2015, and 2016.

SEMI fab equipment spending growth – 2015

Spending in fab equipment will rise 11% to $38.7 billion this year, days SEMI, and another 5 % to $40.7 billion in 2016 . IDM fab capex is will increase almost 6% in 2015 and over 2% in 2016.

Currently there are are 48 DRAM fabs and 32 NAND fabs, says SEMI, and this year 36 fabs will be under construction representing investment of over $5.6 billion in 2015 and next year there will 20 fabs under construction representing investment of over $7.5 billion.

Equipment spending in 2015 will be driven by memory and foundry – with Taiwan and Korea projected to become the largest markets for fab equipment at $10.6 billion and $9.3 billion, respectively.

The market in the Americas is forecast to reach $6.1 billion, with Japan and China following at $4.5 and $4.4 billion, respectively. Europe/Mideast is predicted to invest $2.6 billion. The fab equipment market in South East Asia is expected to total $1.2 billion in 2015.

America’s fab equipment capex will be $6.1 billion in 2015, down 22% on 2014; China will spend $4.4 billion up 10% on 2014; EMEA will spend $2.6 billion up 18% on z2014;japan will spend $4.5 billion up 17% on 2014; Korea will spend $9.3 billion up 27% on 2014; S.E.Asia will spend $1.2 billion up 2% on 2014; Taiwan will spend $10.6 billion up 25% on 2014.

SEMI is a global industry association serving the nano- and microelectronic manufacturing supply chains, with 1,900+ memberss.

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