According to SEMI, global silicon wafer shipments in 2021 increased 14% while wafer revenue rose 13% compared to 2020, topping $12 billion, a record high.
SEMI pointed out that silicon shipments totaled 14,165 million square inches (MSI) compared to 12,407 MSI shipped in 2020 to meet surging broad-based demand for semiconductor devices and a wide variety of applications. 300mm, 200mm and 150mm wafer sizes all saw strong demand. Wafer revenue reached $12,617 million, surpassing the previous record of $12,129 million set in 2007.
“The robust year-over-year growth in silicon wafer area shipments and revenue reflects the heavy dependence of the modern economy on silicon wafers,” said Neil Weaver, outgoing chairman SEMI SMG 2018-2021 and vice president, Product Development and Applications Engineering at Shin Etsu Handotai America. “Wafers are the engine of digital transformation and new technologies that are reshaping how we live and work.”
All data cited in this release includes polished silicon wafers such as virgin test wafers and epitaxial silicon wafers, as well as non-polished silicon wafers shipped to end users.
