KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 1): Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments in 2018 increased 8% year-over-year to a record high, according to the US-based Semiconductor Equipment & Materials International (SEMI).

In a statement on its website Jan 30, the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its year-end analysis of the silicon wafer industry said the 2018 worldwide silicon revenue jumped 31% during the same period, exceeding the US$10 billion (RM40.96 billion) mark for the first time since 2018.

SEMI said wafer area shipments in 2018 totalled 12,732 million square inches (MSI), up from the previous market high of 11,810 million square inches shipped during 2017.

It said revenues totalled US$11.38 billion, compared to the US$8.71 billion posted in 2017.

SEMI SMG and Shin-Etsu Handotai America product development and applications engineering director Neil Weaver said annual semiconductor silicon volume shipments reached record levels for the fifth year in a row.

"Despite strong demand and the impressive gain in revenues last year, the market still remains below the market high set in 2007," he said.