Global semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales reached a new record in 2021, rising 44% year-over-year to $102.6 billion, according to new data from SEMI.
China became the largest market for semiconductor equipment for the second time with sales growing 58% to $29.6 billion in 2021. It was the fourth consecutive year of growth for the region.
Korea was the second largest consumer of semiconductor equipment spending with sales of $25.0 billion and a growth of 55%. Taiwan was the third largest section with $24.9 billion and 45% growth, while equipment spending in Europe and North America increased 23% and 17%, respectively.
“The 44% increase in manufacturing equipment spending in 2021 highlights the global semiconductor industry’s aggressive push to add capacity,” said Ajit Manocha, president and CEO of SEMI. “This drive to expand production capabilities extends beyond the current supply imbalance, as the industry continues to ramp up to address a wide range of emerging high-tech applications that will enable a smarter digital world with countless social benefits.”
Meanwhile, wafer processing equipment sales rose 44% in 2021, while other front-end segment sales grew 22%. Assembly and packaging showed growth across all regions, resulting in an 87% market increase in 2021. Total test equipment sales rose 30%, SEMI said.
The full research can be found in SEMI’s Equipment Market report.
