Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (May 10): Global semiconductor photomask market was US$3.3 billion in 2015 and is forecast to reach $3.4 billion in 2017, according to the US-based Semiconductor Equipment & Materials International (SEMI).

In a statement on its website yesterday, SEMI said that after increasing 3% in 2014, the photomask market increased 1% in 2015.

It said the mask market is expected to grow 2% and 3% in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

SEMI said key drivers in this market continue to be advanced technology feature sizes (less than 45nm) and increased manufacturing in Asia-Pacific.

It said Taiwan remains the largest photomask regional market for the fifth year in a row and is expected to be the largest market for the duration of the forecast.

SEMI said revenues of US$3.3 billion place photomasks at 13 percent of the total wafer fabrication materials market, behind silicon and semiconductor gases.

By comparison, SEMI reported that photomasks represented 18% of the total wafer fabrication materials market in 2003.

It said another trend highlighted in the report is the increasing importance of captive mask shops.

SEMI said captive mask shops, aided by intense capital expenditures in 2011 and 2012 and the weakening Yen in recent years, which dampened Japan headquartered supplier’s revenues when reported in US dollars, gained market share at merchant suppliers’ expense.

“Captive mask suppliers accounted for 56% of the total photomask market last year, up from 53% in 2014.

“Captive mask shops represented 31% of the photomask market in 2003,” it said.

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