MILPITAS, CA — Sales of semiconductor materials worldwide increased 2.4% in 2016 compared to 2015 while worldwide semiconductor revenues increased 1.1%, SEMI said.

Total wafer fabrication materials and packaging materials were $24.7 billion and $19.6 billion, respectively. Comparable revenues for these segments in 2015 were $24 billion for wafer fabrication materials and $19.3 billion for packaging materials. The wafer fabrication materials segment increased 3.1% year-over-year, while the packaging materials segment increased 1.4%.

For the seventh consecutive year, Taiwan was the largest consumer of semiconductor materials due to its large foundry and advanced packaging base, totaling $9.8 billion. Korea and Japan maintained the second and third places, respectively, while China rose in the rankings to claim the fourth spot during the same time. Annual revenue growth was the strongest in the China, Taiwan, and Japan markets. The materials market in Europe, Rest of World (ROW) and South Korea experienced nominal growth, while the materials market in North America contracted.

2015 and 2016 Regional Semiconductor Materials Markets (US$ Billions)

Source: SEMI, April 2017 Note: Figures may not add due to rounding.