Chip Sales Frenzy Continues

Article By : Dylan McGrath, EE Times

January sees 22.7 percent growth of semiconductor sales year-on-year, say SIA

SAN FRANCISCO — The calendar may have turned to 2018, but semiconductor sales show no signs of slowing the blistering pace that characterized 2017.

Chip sales increased on an annual basis in January for the 18th consecutive month, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) trade group. Sales in January decreased 1 percent compared with December, reflecting a typical seasonal slowdown.

The three-month average of chip sales reached $37.6 billion in January, up 22.7 percent from January 2017, according to the SIA, which reports figures complied by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization. WSTS is an organization made by of more than 50 semiconductor companies that pool sales data.

“All major regional markets saw double-digit growth compared to last year, with the Americas leading the away with year-to-year growth of more than 40 percent,” said John Neuffer, the SIA’s president and CEO, in a press statement. “With year-to-year sales also up across all major semiconductor product categories, the global market is well-positioned for a strong start to 2018.”

Last year, chip sales rose by 21.6 percent to reach a record  $412.2 billion. It marked the first time the industry posted more than $400 billion in sales, just seven years after eclipsing the $300 billion mark for the first time.

On a year-to-year basis, chip sales increased by 40.6 percent in the Americas region and 19.9 percent in Europe. Sales grew by 18.6 percent in the Asia Pacific region, by 18.3 percent in China and by 15.1 percent in Japan, according to WSTS.

However, on a sequential basis, sales rose only in Europe, which increased by 0.9 percent. Sales were roughly flat month-to-month in China, but fell in the Americas, Japan and the Asia Pacific region, WSTS said.

Semiconductor sales January 2017

— Dylan McGrath is the editor-in-chief of EE Times.

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