China claimed the largest market for semiconductor equipment for the second time with sales expanding 58% to $29.6 billion to mark the fourth consecutive year of growth. Korea, the second-largest equipment market, registered a sales increase of 55% to $25.0 billion, after showing strong growth in 2020. Taiwan logged 45% growth to $24.9 billion to claim the third position. Annual semiconductor equipment spending increased 23% in Europe and 17% in North America, which continues to recover from a contraction in 2020. Sales in Rest of the World jumped 79% in 2021.
“The 44% increase in manufacturing equipment spending in 2021 highlights the global semiconductor industry’s aggressive push to add capacity,” said Ajit Manocha, SEMI president and CEO. “This drive to expand production capabilities extends beyond the current supply imbalance, as the industry continues to ramp up to address a wide range of emerging high-tech applications that will enable a smarter digital world with countless social benefits.”
Global sales of wafer processing equipment rose 44% in 2021, while other front-end segment sales grew 22%. Assembly and packaging showed exceptional growth across all regions, resulting in an 87% market increase in 2021, while total test equipment sales rose 30%.
Compiled from data submitted by members of SEMI and the Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan (SEAJ), the Worldwide SEMS Report is a summary of the monthly billings figures for the global semiconductor equipment industry. Equipment categories cover wafer processing, assembly and packaging, test, and other front-end equipment including mask/reticle manufacturing, wafer manufacturing, and fab facilities.
Annual Billings by Region in Billions of U.S. Dollars with Year-Over-Year Change Rates
