Chip equipment down 9.4% in 2005

Europe is the only region expected to show growth in 2005. The chipmaking equipment market is expected to grow by 2.9 percent. 2004 the big growth market was Mainland China. This market is, for 2005, set to decline by 33.6 percent. "Semiconductor manufacturers will need to absorb $4.43 billion in excess equipment purchases in 2004, which drove capacity utilization to the mid-80 percent range in Q4, and will result in a 9.4 percent drop in revenues in 2005," said Robert Castellano, president of The Information Network, in a statement. "Nevertheless, the total market of $30.7 billion will still be 38.4 percent higher than 2003", he proceeds.