SAN FRANCISCO--Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments increased slightly during the first quarter compared to the fourth quarter of 2011, according to the fab tool vendor trade group SEMI.
SEMI's Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) quarterly analysis of the silicon wafer industry found that
total silicon wafer area shipments were 2.03 billion square inches in the first quarter, up 1 percent from the fourth quarter of 2011. But first quarter total area shipments declined by 11 percent compared to the first quarter of 2011.
"The first quarter of the year tends to be a time for seasonal softness for silicon shipment volume, though quarterly shipments did improve some compared to the fourth quarter," said Bruce Kellerman, chairman of SEMI SMG and senior director of semiconductor product marketing at MEMC, in a statement. "With modest growth forecasted for the semiconductor industry in 2012, we are optimistic that positive momentum will continue for silicon shipments."
