Global wafer shipments and revenue set new records in 2021
Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments in 2021 increased 14% while wafer revenue rose 13% compared to 2020, topping USD 12 billion, to reach new all-time highs, SEMI reports.
Silicon shipments totaled 14,165 million square inches (MSI) compared to 12,407 MSI shipped in 2020 to meet surging broad-based demand for semiconductor devices and a wide variety of applications. 300 mm, 200 mm and 150 mm wafer sizes all saw strong demand. Wafer revenue reached USD 12,617 million, surpassing the previous record of USD 12,129 million set in 2007.
“The robust year-over-year growth in silicon wafer area shipments and revenue reflects the heavy dependence of the modern economy on silicon wafers,” said Neil Weaver, outgoing chairman SEMI SMG 2018-2021 and vice president, Product Development and Applications Engineering at Shin Etsu Handotai America. “Wafers are the engine of digital transformation and new technologies that are reshaping how we live and work.”
Annual Silicon* Industry Trends
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |||
| Area Shipments (MSI) | 9,043 | 9,031 | 9,067 | 10,098 | 10,434 | 10,738 | 11,810 | 12,732 | 11,810 | 12,407 | 14,165 | ||
| Revenues ($Billion) | 9.9 | 8.7 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 8.7 | 11.4 | 11.2 | 11.2 | 12.6 | ||
*Shipments are for semiconductor applications only and do not include solar applications.
