KUALA LUMPUR (March 23): The global semiconductor materials market revenue rose 4.9% in 2020 to a record US$55.3 billion, exceeding the previous market high of US$52.9 billion set in 2018, according to US-based Semiconductor Equipment & Materials International (SEMI).

SEMI in its Materials Market Data Subscription report released yesterday said wafer fabrication materials and packaging materials revenues totalled US$34.9 billion and US$20.4 billion respectively in 2020 for year-on-year (y-o-y) increases of 6.5% and 2.3%.

It said the photoresist and photoresist ancillaries, wet chemicals and chemical mechanical planarisation (CMP) segments accounted for the strongest growth in wafer fabrication materials, while packaging materials expansion was driven by organic substrates and bonding wire market growth.

SEMI said that for the 11th consecutive year, Taiwan, at US$12.4 billion, was the world's largest market for semiconductor materials on the strength of its large foundry capacity and advanced packaging base.

“With its aggressive capacity build-up, China surpassed [South] Korea to claim the second spot. Both China and Taiwan registered stronger growth, while South Korea, Japan and the rest-of-the-world markets also expanded.

“The North America and Europe markets saw declines due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” it said.