KUALA LUMPUR (April 20):  Global semiconductor equipment sales fell 7% year-on-year in 2019 to US$59.8 billion from the all-time high of $64.5 billion in 2018, said the U.S.-based Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI).

In its  Worldwide Semiconductor Equipment Market Statistics (WWSEMS) Report released, SEMI said Taiwan claimed the largest market for new semiconductor equipment last year with sales of US$17.12 billion after a 68% growth surge, dislodging Korea from the top spot.

SEMI said China maintained its position as the second largest equipment market with sales of $13.45 billion, followed by Korea, at $9.97 billion, after receipts fell 44%.

It said while the new equipment markets in Japan, Europe, and Rest of World contracted, North America equipment sales jumped 40% to US$8.15 billion in 2019, the region’s third consecutive annual increase. 

Meanwhile, global sales of wafer processing equipment fell 6% in 2019, while other front-end segment sales grew 9%.

Assembly and packaging along with test equipment sales also faltered, declining 27% and 11%, respectively, while sales to China rose across all major equipment segments except for assembly and packaging.

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