KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 25): North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted US$2.39 billion in billings worldwide in December 2017, according to the U.S.-based Semiconductor Equipment & Materials International’s (SEMI) November Equipment Market Data Subscription (EMDS) Billings Report.

In a statement on its website Jan 23, SEMI reported that the three-month average of worldwide billings of North American equipment manufacturers in December 2017 was US$2.39 billion.

It said the billings figure is 16.3% higher than the final November 2017 level of US$2.05 billion, and is 27.7% higher than the December 2016 billings level of US$1.87 billion.

SEMI president and CEO Ajit Manocha said December 2017 monthly billings for North American equipment manufacturers ended the year at the highest levels in this record-breaking year.

“For 2017, total billings for North American equipment companies soared over 40 percent compared to 2016,” he said.